Is your toddler besotted with your newly decorated Christmas tree and keeps trying to get at it, pull off decorations (smash!) and, even worse, pull the tree down on top of them? Try these tips from parents on how to have a toddler proof Christmas tree this year – and let us know how you get on!

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Yes it’s one of the joys of having a toddler in the house, they are eager learners and want to touch everything as part of that learning. But at Christmas time, touching and grabbing can end in disaster. We asked Mykidstime parents for tips on how to keep the tree and your toddler safe!

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How to Have a Toddler Proof Christmas Tree

Restrict Access

• Put a playpen around the tree.
• Wrap up some boxes with tins inside to weigh them down and put them around the bottom of the tree like a mini blockade.
• Use a fireguard around the bottom of the tree.
• Position other furniture around the bottom of the tree.
• Place your tree up on a crate or chest so that it’s higher up.
• Leave the low branches empty of tempting decorations.
• Buy a half tree or parasol tree. We spotted these ones on Argos which are ideal for parents of toddlers (or cat owners!).
• Put a little fence around it.

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Distractions

• Buy a mini tree and let them play with and decorate it.
• Put toddler friendly things at the bottom that are easy to grab and distract.
• Buy a little felt tree that they can play with and tell them the big one is for Santa only. This one from Amazon.co.uk is really cute. (Similar one on Amazon.com)

Minimise Breakages

• Go minimalist (now known as “Scandi chic”), and leave off the decorations entirely. Maybe not your first choice but it’s on-trend and will solve the problem.
• Remove the lower branches so your toddler can’t reach.
• Use paper or yarn or wooden ornaments instead of breakable ones e.g. you could make your own pom poms which are soft if they fall.
• Buy shatterproof decorations.

How to Keep Them (and the Tree) Safe

• Put bells on the lower branches so if you hear a little ring you know your toddler is at the tree.
• Wrap bricks in gift wrap and use them to secure your tree stand.
• Hook up the tree with a wire onto the ceiling, wall, curtain rail or skirting board so it can’t be pulled over.

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Explaining to Your Toddler

• Say “no” or “be gentle” every time your toddler goes near the tree.
• Explain to your toddler and show them that if they pull it, the tree can topple and might hurt them.
• Tell your toddler that Santa’s watching because Santa always watches the Christmas tree to make sure it’s safe, so he’ll see if they go near it and Santa won’t come!

And if push comes to shove, you could skip the tree entirely! Hey look on the bright side, at least you won’t have to take it all down at the end of the Christmas period…

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Have your say! Do you have any other tips on how to have a toddler proof christmas tree? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!