They just have to get into everything, don’t they? In, and unfortunately, out.

According to the NSW Government, there are about 50 childhood falls from windows and balconies in Australia every year. The problem is so bad that “Kid’s Health,” the promotional wing of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, created a whole campaign entitled “Kids Don’t Fly.”

To cut right to the chase, if you’re not on the ground floor, then window locks and sliding door locks need to be a major part of your childproofing efforts.

And if you’re wondering, no, fly screens are no match for a tot who has a sudden desperate urge to go play with that doggy across the street.

Here are four of the key points about windows from the “Kids Don’t Fly” campaign:

1. Keep climbable furniture away from windows. If wee little John or Jane can climb it, they will. A tumble from the bed to the floor is bad enough, but add in the twenty or thirty feet outside that window and they’re in for a disaster.
2. Supervise your children when they’re playing near windows or on balconies. And for those times when you can’t keep an eye on them, make sure your babies understand that those areas are no-go zones.
3. If at all possible, only open your windows from the top. Obviously this point very much depends on your home’s design.
4. Install window locks and/or sliding door locks for your balconies.

Not only is it the smart thing to do, but as of 2009 laws were enacted that make it essential for real estate builders to ensure that the danger of children taking a tumble were considered with new construction.

But since the law is relatively new, there’s decades’-worth of buildings out there without the safety features built in.
That’s where East Sydney Locksmiths comes in. We’ll lend our 25 years of lock experience to the epic task of keeping your tiny explorer contained. Our window locks will keep unsupervised windows shut up tight, or set so they can’t open beyond the suggested 12.5 centimetres (which is all it takes for your child to escape).

Beyond the four window points, the “Kids Don’t Fly” campaign also has some balcony safety tips:

• Make sure the railings are at least 1 metre high.
• Make sure the vertical bars or slats are no wider than 12.5 centimetres.
• Remove any horizontal pieces the vertical bars might have. They can look an awful lot like a ladder to a tiny climber.
• Just like furniture near windows, move any climbable items away from the balcony. This includes making sure that you don’t leave your children with furniture light enough for them to move around.
• And of course, keep ‘em supervised.

But just like with those windows, there’s going to be times when a busy adult can’t keep an eye on their children every second of every day. Which means it’s time to have us help you out by installing sliding door locks. The best way to eliminate all the worries in the above list is by locking off the balcony entirely.

“Kids Don’t Fly.” We know it, but they don’t. So until they know better, let East Sydney Locksmiths help you keep them safe.