If you are a parent, you know how curious a child can be. And this is not bad at all. Curiosity should be encouraged by parents as noted by this Psychology Today article. As a parent, your role is to protect your child even as you support his or her enthusiasm to explore. In this case, you can be proactive in baby-proofing your house and other attached areas like the garage. The garage is where you keep your car, tools, and other bits and pieces that can be unsafe for your child. It will never be the safest place for your youngster but you can still take some steps to significantly improve child safety. Here are some tips to child-proof your garage and minimize chances of him or her to come into close contact with potentially dangerous things. 1. Limit garage access -- In other words, lock all the entryways that connect the house to the garage. While this can be a little bit of a hassle when you need to haul things from the garage into your house, locking the doorway would ensure that the child won’t sneak into the garage. You can install a Dutch door for easier access. The two-door chamber adds a bit of whimsy, rustic look to your home while helping you to safeguard your child. Simply open the top part of the door and lock the bottom part to keep your child from going into the garage. 
Another thing is to make sure that the locks and sensors are working. Does your garage door close all the way through? And does it have an obstacle detector to enhance safety? These are some things that you need to consider for your doors. 2. Store things properly -- Are there cans of paint and oil lying on your garage’s door? Are your power tools and parts scattered here and there? How about plastics of detergent and pet food? To child-proof your area, you would need to organize your area and keep dangerous substances from your child. One way to do this is to dispose of some of your clutter. But if you still have a use for them, you can just buy an overhead garage rack like this. You can install this overhead garage at a high location, away from your child’s curious eyes. However, installing this type of garage storage is an entirely different thing. Make sure to mount the rack securely or it might pose a danger. 3. Make sure that your car is inaccessible -- If you leave your car in the garage, make sure that the trunk and doors are all locked. Energetic children can climb into the vehicle when no one is around. Keep the keys away from our child. It’s a no-brainer that you shouldn’t leave your child in a running car because it might lead to carbon monoxide poisoning or hot car death. 
4. Keep trash and recycling containers beyond the reach of children -- Seal all your trash bins and keep them away from your child. Some children can move the trash bins and play with them. In this case, make sure that the bins are also tied to the wall so your child won’t tamper with them. 5. Keep five-gallon buckets empty -- If you store those big five-gallon buckets, make sure that they do not have any liquid inside and that they are turned upside down. Children can drown in these deep buckets. According to org, water safety is important for all ages, but especially for toddlers. Drowning is the leading cause of injury death in children 1-4. Better safe than sorry This is not an exhaustive list of how you can child-proof your garage. You can also sit down with your child and talk to him or her about the dangers lurking in the garage. In any case, if you see any safety hazards in your garage, address them immediately for the sake of your whole family.
