Best Window Coverings for Nurseries & Children’s Rooms
There’s one hidden danger in many American households we often miss – cords on window coverings.
In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC) found that corded window coverings are in the top five “hidden hazards” in homes as exposed or dangling cords can entangle and even strangle children. Fortunately, there are many options to remove this hazard from our homes with ease. When choosing window coverings for your nursery, bedroom, playroom, family room, or anywhere else your kids will be, there’s a few things to keep in mind for safety.
How do I choose the best window coverings for nurseries and children’s rooms?
Install only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords in homes with young children.
Not just the nursery, but any room your baby can crawl into or a toddler may wander into. After all, you don’t just live in your bedroom and neither do they.
Move cribs, furniture, and toy boxes away from windows and window covering cords.
Keeping things completely out of reach is an easy step to ensure that if you have cords, they’re inaccessible. Though beware of toddler stacking skills that allow them to create stepping stools out of anything. If you aren’t able to remove the cords entirely, look into how to make existing cords safer or retrofit them altogether.
Look for Certified Best for Kids™ labels.
This certification means a third-party laboratory has tested the products and found they either have no cords, no operating cords or inner cords that are accessible, or that any inner cords cannot create a hazardous loop.
There are products that pass these requirements without the certification as well, but it’s a sure sign that they’re not a hazard for your kids when this label is present.
Remove Cords Altogether with Automation
This is a great alternative for not only child safety, but ease of use. Motorized and automated window coverings don’t have operating cords at all, because you control them with a remote control, a wall switch, your SmartHome system or even Amazon Alexa and Echo devices. These really are the gold star standard when choosing the best window coverings for kids since the hazard is non-existent.
One added safety benefit…
Strangulation from cords isn’t just a human child risk, but also poses a risk to your pets as well. Fortunately, the same solutions apply! We also have a great guide for selecting pet-safe window treatments, and even recognizing some reasons they might tear into your existing ones so you can prevent pet damage.
For more on child safety when it comes to window treatments, please see our Product Safety FAQs.
For more information, visit the Window Covering Safety Council or contact us for a complimentary consultation where our experienced designers can help you choose the best window coverings for nurseries, kids’ rooms, and other rooms in your home.