Kid safety 101 for grandparents

Grandparents, you’re a vital part of your grandkids’ lives — and an essential source of mental health respite for parents, too.  

In the U.S., 20% of grandparents with grandkids under 18 care for them once a week or more. In addition, 8% provide daily support and 3% are the primary caregiver for their grandchildren.1 The Children’s Mercy 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment found there are 7,811 households with grandparents raising grandchildren in the Kansas City area alone! 

Here’s what you need to know to help keep your grandchildren safe, whether you’re: 

• Planning a trip to visit a new grandchild 
• Providing regular childcare 
• Babysitting to give parents some me-time 
• Or a full-time primary caregiver  

Make your spaces baby-proof and kid-friendly  

If it’s been a minute (or a few decades!) since you had little ones around the house, it's time for a safety check.  

A great place to start is Charlie’s House for both mobile and in-person safety learning experiences. The innovative nonprofit has a safety demonstration home in Kansas City, Mo., and a virtual safety experience app with a room-by-room guide with up-to-date safety information. Their in-home safety checklist has essential reminders, like securing tip-prone furniture to walls, lowering hot water heater temps and installing blind cord wind-ups.   

Keep a close watch on button and lithium coin batteries, a very dangerous swallowing hazard for small children. Use this list to check your home for battery locations, secure battery compartments, store extra batteries out of reach and dispose of old ones in drop-off locations.  

Brush up on your safe storage habits for both medications and firearms. Keep current medications in a locked cabinet, drawer or box and take old prescriptions to a pharmacy drop-off or dispose of safely (instructions here). Keep firearms (including BB guns, pellet guns and any projectiles) unloaded, locked and stored separately from ammunition. Children’s Mercy offers free gun locks at our security desks; your local law enforcement or pediatricians office may as well.    

If you’re getting older baby equipment or toys out of storage, make sure everything is still in good working condition. Check for recalls and safety warnings by searching the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.  

Help grandchildren sleep well 

That advice holds for cribs or pack-and-plays: Check for recalls and safety warnings before using.  

Remember the ABCs of safe-sleep: Place the baby Alone, on their Back and in their own Crib. Another helpful sleep mantra: Firm, flat and level.  Keep infants’ sleep spaces clear of toys (even stuffed animals) and use well-fitted sheets.  

One update may surprise you: Research has shown pacifier use is associated with decreased incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If your grandchild sleeps with a pacifier, don’t worry. It’s safe! 

Get there safely 

Not to sound like a broken record, but you should also check for recalls and safety warnings on any car seats and booster seats you’ll use while chauffeuring grandkids. Car seats have an expiration date: Look for them on a label or sticker on the seat or in the manual. You can find tips for buying a new car seat here.  

For car seat installation, follow the manufacturer’s manual closely then get an inspection with a certified technician in your area (usually free). The safest position for kids under 3 is with the car seat in the back seat facing the rear of the car.  

Remember to never leave children unattended in a vehicle. Start making a habit of checking car seats and back seats before leaving your vehicle. When you’re out of the routine, it’s easier than you’d think to leave a child behind.  

When it comes to two- and three-wheeled transportation, keep those helmets on! Taking older grandchildren to a bike rodeo for a helmet fit check can be a fun multigenerational outing.  

Be ready for emergencies  

We hope you’ll never have to use it, but it’s helpful to have written permission to access health care for your grandchild, preferably a legal document. A notarized temporary power of attorney can be appropriate if your grandchildren are staying with you in another city and/or their parents are traveling and not easily accessible. 

Always have emergency contacts on hand, including pediatricians’ contact information and the location of the nearest emergency room. (Here’s a helpful rundown of when to visit the ER versus Urgent Care.) 

Being a grandparent is also a great excuse to get (or update) your CPR certification. The American Heart Association Training Center at Children’s Mercy offers classes for the public, as do many local organizations.  

Don’t forget the fun 

Your grandkids won’t remember the million things you do to childproof your home, but they will remember the fun you had together. Make time with your grandkids both safe and enjoyable.   

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed with safety responsibilities, know this: You don’t have to know everything — you just have to know when to ask and who to ask! Check out these safety resources:  

• The Center for Childhood Safety & Injury Prevention at Children’s Mercy 
• Healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics 
• Prepped and Ready, a video course from Children’s Mercy designed to help caregivers keep tweens and teens safe as they grow  

^{1. “Grandparents help grandkids in many ways — but the reverse may be true, too, poll suggests,” by Kate Bauer, healthyagingpoll.org, 12 November 2024. Accessed 25 June 2025.}