Barbecues and babies

Nicki

Now that the weather is getting nicer it would be lovely to get the barbecue out again and the older children love outdoor eating. The only problem is we now have a very inquisitive 20 month old toddler!

Does anyone have any good solutions for safely barbecuing in a smallish garden with a little one? I was wondering about getting a playpen and putting the barbecue and cook inside that to keep little hand away from hot coals, but not sure if that would work. Or is the whole thing a bad idea until he is a year or two older?

onlyroz

Don't worry about it. We've always had barbecues, and a simple "stay away from the hot barbecue" always worked for us.

shellsuit

We had a BBQ last week. We just all made sure the little man (2 next week) stayed away from it, so if he started wandering to were it was, one of us took him back to the other end of the garden.

I did tell him it was "ouch" and "burny hot" but he's a nosey lil' thing too and took no notice lol

Plans_all_plans

My dad had a novel idea on this. Apparently I was about 18 months old and they took me to a barbeque. When we got there, he put a teaspoon in a warm cup of tea, took it out and put it on the back on my hand and said "HOT". Obviously, he didn't burn me, but it was just uncomfortable enough for me to get the message! Then went to the BBQ and pointed at that and said "HOT". I stayed away from it.

pinknfluffy0

we always used to arange the tables so it was hard to get to, then made sure we all kept an eye out.

pigpen

My 2 y/o GS was here when we had a BBQ last week and obviously it won't be left unattended anyway as that is just silly.. but he was steered away from it and told 'Hot. Don't Touch' when he got too close.. fortunately he didn't like the smoke so stayed away mostly anyway.

iamana1ias

Nicki wrote: »

Now that the weather is getting nicer it would be lovely to get the barbecue out again and the older children love outdoor eating. The only problem is we now have a very inquisitive 20 month old toddler!

Does anyone have any good solutions for safely barbecuing in a smallish garden with a little one? I was wondering about getting a playpen and putting the barbecue and cook inside that to keep little hand away from hot coals, but not sure if that would work. Or is the whole thing a bad idea until he is a year or two older?

Put the toddler in the playpen (not the barbeque!) and you have a safer solution I'd have thought!

McKneff

iamana1ias wrote: »

Put the toddler in the playpen (not the barbeque!) and you have a safer solution I'd have thought!

Seems the obvious thing to do...................

jackomdj

Although we are always watching even now we will use a skipping rope on the floor which they must not cross, we call it the safety line!

midnightraven3

dont think at 20 months they will be very impressed at being taken outside then popped in a playpen

i agree with those who have said just keep an eye out/on them
mine responded to "burny hot" etc, learning to keep away is better long term

i never had a playpen for any of our 3, we visited a friend with a toddler, when my son was about 4, he asked why he was in baby jail:o:rotfl:

BitterAndTwisted

Everybody knows that cooking over an open flame or hot coals is a man-job. Therefore there's one person to watch over the barbie and ensure kidlets are kept safely away from it and another person keeping an eagle-eye as well. Two grown adults should be able to keep a 2 year-old safe in their own garden. If not, use the playpen.