10 IDEAS HOW TO TODDLER PROOF YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

My daughter is almost 2 years old and her favorite thing to do is explore new places and unknown things. What toddler is different though? Christmas tree seems so magical, sparkling, and appealing that there is no surprise all kids are super fascinated by it. They want to touch, feel it, and bring down as many ornaments as possible. Do you have to wait till kids are grown up and keep their hands off the tree? But what if not having a Christmas tree is not an option?  I can't even imagine Christmas without decoration or a tree. Don't you worry! There are plenty of options on how to toddler-proof your Christmas tree and make this time of the year as stress-free as possible. Here are a few tips that we came up with.

Before we start I'd like to note that I'm not a baby-proof expert and I provide only my suggestions and ideas that you can use at your own risk. The bottom line is don't blame me if it goes wrong.

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TIPS TO BABY/TODDLER PROOF CHRISTMAS TREE

1. Lift it up.

   I made this rustic wooden box last year and it worked for us like a charm. The tree was elevated and Sasha couldn't reach it. I'll keep you posted on how she did this year. Fingers crossed it will work as well. You can also use any kind of small table, box, or drawer to uplift your tree to the safe zone.

2. Secure to the wall.

   A few years back my tree fell and since then I attach it with the rope to the wall or to the window every year. It gives me peace of mind that it won't fall by itself or with little hands help.

3. Build a "wall" from large boxes around the tree.

   I saw this idea here and absolutely love it. Just wrap large boxes in a nice paper, put heavy objects inside and put them near tree creating a fence.

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4. Get a table tree.

   You can always get a nice small table tree that will be out of reach for your kids. There are so many different options on the market that I'm sure you could find something to your liking. Here is a roundup of absolutely gorgeous tabletop Christmas trees for your inspiration.

5. Keep the glass ornaments on the top of your tree.

   I'm not completely against shatterproof ornaments but I don't think they are authentic enough. A few years back I decorated glass ornaments myself and wouldn't want to use plastic ones instead. Sure, it can break with your busy toddler around, but it could also break by the accident that has nothing to do with kids. After all, it's just things, so I wouldn't fuzz about it. On the other side, I believe that there is a valuable lesson that can be taught in the process of breaking the ornaments - about the fragility of things, care, and how it can hurt someone. Perhaps, if your toddler will break an ornament once and see it shuttered into small pieces, he/she will be more careful next time. I recommend as an important life lesson to explain to your little one that ornaments are here for us to look at and be careful around them. But if you have some collectibles and cherished ones, just put it high up, far from small hands reach.

6. Make ornaments with your kids.

   There are so many options for handmade/non-glass ornaments that you surely won't be underwhelmed. You can make them from salt dough, paper, wire, yarn, or even from food (like these cinnamon birds or cookies). There is no scientific proof but maybe... if you make something with your kids/let them do all the work, they will be more careful with it and won't want to drop it on the floor. Well, and if they will, at least you had fun making it together.

7. Let the toddler help to decorate the Christmas tree.

   Same as the one above, maybe if kids know that it's not a forbidden fruit they will lose interest and won't want to hang around all the time. Give them a few soft unbreakable ornaments. The tree probably won't look perfect, but hey, it's not about perfection. Plus if there even a slight chance that it might work I'll take it.

8. Make a felt Christmas tree for your toddler.

   Toddlers love to have THEIR things of their size. Why wouldn't you get your little busy bee a personal tree to decorate? If you can't get the real small tree then this cute felt one is a great alternative. I made this super fun project this year for Sasha and she absolutely loves it. If you are not feeling crafty you can purchase one here.

9. Put alarms aka jingle bells on the tree.

   They look cute but most importantly when your little one decides to explore the tree you'll be immediately notified.

10. Go minimalist.

    Who said that you need to put ornaments or anything on the tree? There so many good-looking minimalist versions of how to make it look beautiful. I found this great article. Just pick and choose.

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Have fun with the kids! It's such a magical time of the year.

I’d love to connect! Follow me on Instagram @ifonlyapril and Pinterest for more ideas.

xoxo,

April