Whether you care for your grandchildren every day, help with rides, or host visits at your home, you play an important role in keeping them safe.
Safety recommendations might have changed since you raised your own children. Learning the latest guidance can help prevent injuries and give parents peace of mind.
Support New Parents
A new baby can bring joy and also stress and fatigue. Grandparents can make a big difference by offering practical help.
You can help by:
- Preparing a meal, grocery shopping, or helping with errands.
- Giving new parents time to rest while you take the baby for a walk or hold them.
- Spending special one-on-one time with older siblings, who may need extra attention.
- Sharing your experience in a supportive way while respecting the parents’ choices and routines.
Crying, diaper changes, and frequent feedings can feel overwhelming for new parents. Calm reassurance and a helping hand can go a long way.1
Keep Sleep Safe
To lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS):
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep.
- Use a crib or bassinet with a firm mattress and fitted sheet.
- Keep pillows, blankets, toys, and other soft items out of the sleep area.
- Do not let your baby sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or in an armchair. A baby can become trapped or covered by bedding or another person.
Read more about safe sleep here.
Make Your Home Safer Before Visits
Children are curious and move quickly. A few simple changes can make your home safer:
- Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Cover sharp furniture edges.
- Never leave a child alone in a highchair or infant seat, especially near a table or counter.
- Do not use mobile baby walkers.
- Keep walkers, canes, and other items children can trip over in a room the child cannot enter.
- Keep heavy collectibles like vases, plates, and home decorations out of children’s reach.
- Keep cabinets locked.
- Assure large pieces of furniture are safely adhered to the wall.
- Store firearms unloaded, locked, and stored separately from the ammunition.
Store Medications and Household Chemicals Safely
Medicines can be dangerous for children, even in small amounts. Keep all prescription and nonprescription medicines locked up, out of sight, and out of reach. This includes pills, inhalers, vitamins, and medicines kept in purses or bags.
Keep cleaning products, garden chemicals, pesticides, and other household chemicals locked away. Lower kitchen cabinets should have safety locks when needed.2,3
Read more about preventing poisonings here.
Watch for Choking Hazards
Choose toys that are right for your grandchild’s age. Avoid toys with small parts that young children could swallow.
Keep button batteries away from children. These small batteries are found in some remote controls, hearing aids, and toys. If swallowed or placed in the nose, they can cause serious burns.
Read more about Keeping Playtime Safe here.
Practice Safety in the Kitchen and Bathroom
The kitchen and bathroom have many hidden hazards.
In the kitchen:
- Keep appliance cords out of reach.
- Never microwave a baby’s milk/formula. The milk can heat unevenly and burn the baby’s tongue and mouth.
- Babies under the age of 1 year should not be given honey, as it can lead to dangerous infections.
- Keep hot drinks, pans, and sharp objects away from the edges of counters.
Read more about kitchen safety here.
In the bathroom:
- Never leave a child alone in a bathtub or sink with water.
- Test the water temperature before putting them in the bath.
- Use nonslip material in the tub to help prevent falls.
- Keep medicines and medical equipment locked up.
- Dispose of unused medicines safely, following the label directions.2
Stay Safe in the Car and Outdoors
Make sure your grandchild is properly buckled in the correct car seat or booster seat for every ride. It can be helpful to keep a properly installed safety seat in your vehicle.
Before backing out of a driveway, make sure your grandchild is safely inside the vehicle or far away from it. Never leave a car running in a garage because carbon monoxide can build up quickly.
Read more about car safety here.
When playing outside
- Make sure children wear a helmet when riding a bike or scooter.
- Choose playgrounds designed for children’s safety.
- Keep children away from lawnmowers and other power yard tools.
- Never let a child ride on your lap while using a mower.
Be Water-Wise
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly. Stay at arm’s length from your grandchild whenever they are in or near water, even if they know how to swim. Never leave a child without supervision around water, even in the bathtub.4
If there is an inground pool at your home, it should be surrounded by a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high. The gate should close and latch by itself. Add extra layers like gate alarms and secure pool covers, but these do not replace a real fence. Learning CPR and how to swim can also help you be prepared.2 Do not leave pool toys in the pool or around it when no one is in the pool. They can lead to distractions and accidental falls into the pool.
If there is an above ground pool at your home, remove the ladder when there is no supervision. Children as young as 3-5 years old can climb the pool without the ladder. Add a fence to prevent access to the above ground pool.4
Read more about pool safety here.
Keep Emergency Information Ready
Keep important phone numbers easy to find. Save the parents’ numbers in your phone, along with emergency contacts.
Have a plan for what to do in an emergency, including when to call 911.
Save the poison control phone number in your cell phone in case of accidental ingestion: 1 (800)-222-1222
Grandparents are much more than babysitters. Your time, stories, support, and careful attention help children grow up feeling loved and safe.
For more information about grandchildren safety, call the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, a program of Jackson Hospital and University of Miami Funded by the Children’s Trust at 305-243-9080 or visit www.injuryfree.org.
- Citations
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2026). How grandparents can support new parents & their newborn. HealthyChildren.org.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2014, November 13). Childproofing tips for grandparents. HealthyChildren.org.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022, March 8). Tips for grandparents who provide child care. HealthyChildren.org.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. (2026, March 27) Drowning prevention campaign toolkit.. aap.org.
