Children don’t always recognize hazards and dangerous situations. Take extra steps to keep them safe. This includes supervising babies and toddlers closely and establishing rules and limits for older children. Firm rules help children understand dangers around them and helps them develop a healthy sense of their capability.

Hazards are everywhere. Keeping your child safe requires careful attention. The level of safety measures to take also depends on the age of your child and their activity level. Babies require constant supervision, while older children need boundaries and rules to follow to keep them safe. Learn more about your child’s physical safety and how to prevent injuries.

• Child Safety: Bicycles and Tricycles
• Child Safety: Fires
• Child Safety: Guns and Firearms
• Child Safety: Preventing Burns
• Child Safety: Preventing Falls
• Child Safety: Streets and Motor Vehicles
• Child Safety: Strollers and Shopping Carts
• Head Injuries in Children: Problems to Watch For
• Head Injury: Age 3 and Younger
• Hip Injuries: Age 11 and Younger
• Playground Safety
• Preventing Children’s Injuries from Sports and Other Activities

Some small objects and certain foods can become choking hazards for young children. Keeping objects such as balloons and small toys away from young children reduces this risk. Helping your child develop safe habits such as not letting him or her eat while they are walking, riding in a stroller or in a car. Staying with your toddler while they eat can also minimize risk.

• Choking Prevention in Small Children
• Choking Rescue Procedure: Heimlich Manoeuvre
• Object Stuck in a Child’s Airway
• Preventing Choking

Summer isn’t the only time that you should practice water safety as accidents around water can happen at any time of the year. Near-drownings and drownings can happen during bath time, as well as in pools or hot tubs. You can help prevent drowning incidents by teaching your child swimming skills and water safety. Watching them while they are outdoors near water is also important.

• Child Safety: Bathing
• Child Safety: Drowning Prevention in Pools and Hot Tubs
• Child Safety: Preventing Drowning
• Sun Safety for Children (HealthLinkBC File #26)

Learn more in this section about teaching your children basic health and safety habits.

• Child Safety: Air Pollution
• Child Safety: Washing Toys to Prevent Germs
• Preventing Poisoning in Young Children
• Protecting Your Child from Infections
• Quick Tips: Helping Your Child Stay Safe and Healthy
• Quick Tips: Safely Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children

Having a pet in the family can be fun. However, having a pet that is in good health and well-behaved around children will decrease the chance of your child getting injured or infected with disease from the pet. A pet can be a lot of work and requires a family’s readiness for this new responsibility. Learn more about introducing your pet and your child at home.

• Child Safety: Pets
• Staying Healthy Around Animals

While child abduction is rare, parents may be concerned about their child being kidnapped. Learn more about child safety and preventing child abduction.

Learn about protecting your children from potential physical, emotional or sexual abuse.  Find out some of the signs and symptoms of abuse in children.

• Abuse and Neglect
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Abuse: Signs of Abuse-Related Injuries
• Child Abuse: Emotional Abuse by Parents

Bullying can happen in all kinds of situations. Your child may be bullied due to their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It can happen at school, as part of a sports team or club, online or in your neighbourhood. Learn more about bullying and how to spot it.

• About Kids Health –Safety and the Environment
• Bullying and Online Safety
• Health Canada-Just for You-Children

BC Children’s Hospital

The BC Children's Hospital provides resources on child safety, including playground safety, burn prevention, bicycle safety and more.

Baby's Best Chance

The Baby’s Best Chance handbook offers general information about pregnancy and parenting, with a focus on ensuring the health and well-being of you and your baby.

Last Updated: June 2021