If you live with a toddler, you’d be dealing with noises like screeching, squeaking toys, cutlery clinking, and many more. But the sound of slammed doors is their favorite.
Are you wondering how to stop toddler from slamming doors? If so, this article is here with some great hacks for you.
While you can’t stop a toddler from playing with doors, you can reduce the noise and impact it makes by getting a door pinch guard.
A door pinch guard prevents slamming and protects the toddler’s fingers from bruises and cuts.
However, other options are mentioned in this article to explore if you’re wondering how to stop a toddler from slamming doors.
How to Stop Toddler From Slamming Doors
An effective way to stop a toddler from slamming doors and getting hurt is by getting a door finger guard. I love the Jool baby door finger guard. They are easy to use, affordable, and do the job very well.
These are devices made from hard rubber in a “U-shape” and are fixed between a doorframe and the hinges to prevent pinched fingers or slamming.
Door finger guards also prevent toddlers from accidentally locking themselves in a room.
Toddlers seem to share an invisible bond with doors, and this is one thing you’d find out if you lived with one.
It can be quite challenging for people who don’t like noise because you can’t separate toddlers from noise. Sounds like screeching, cutlery clanking, toys squeaking and the thudding sound of a slammed door would be regular guests in your home.
You can’t stop these little ones from playing, which is how these sounds come about, but you can explore options to minimize their noise while playing.
Fortunately, there are six other ways to stop a toddler from slamming doors:
6 Ways to Stop Toddler From Slamming Doors
1. Teach Your Toddler How to Close The Door
This may be an obvious point, but it is still very effective in helping you reduce the noise in the home.
As adults, it is easy to get carried away with the expectation that toddlers are supposed to know just by observation.
Even though this is true, you must teach your toddler how to lock the door properly without slamming it. You can make it a fun daily activity until he becomes used to it.
For instance, you could say, “Come let me teach you something new. I’d teach you how to lock the door and let you practise”.
Making it a learning exercise will help him learn faster. Not just for doors, but you can prevent other noises from him handling items around the house by teaching him how to handle those items better.
2. Be His Model
The belief that toddlers act out what they see is true. You could have slammed the door several times, and he found it intriguing.
Or he is just curious about closing doors, whatever the motivation behind slamming doors, be strategic about being his model.
Deliberately make him see you when you open and close the door gently. You could do it during your playtime together or when you put him to bed. After seeing you lock the door gently, he’d try to do it just like you.
3. Keep The Doors Open Or Closed
Another effective way to stop a toddler from slamming doors is to keep the frequently accessed doors open and lock all doors out of use.
This may not be the ultimate solution to door slamming since private rooms must be closed most of the time, but it is still an option for you to explore, especially if there are many doors in your home.
4. Toddler-Proof Your Doors
Many parents adopt toddler-proofing to prevent door slamming and protect their children from bruising their fingers.
There are devices such as a door pinch guard made to help keep doors open and prevent them from slamming when closed.
5. Do Not Resort to Punishment
Dealing with toddlers can be quite frustrating, especially when it seems like they’re not learning. But a mistake you should avoid is yelling or punishing your child for slamming the door.
Toddlers can be manipulative when they want to be. If you’re dealing with one, he will try to get a reaction from you once he realizes that slamming the door can rile you up.
6. Avoid Repetition
It can be tempting to repeatedly warn your toddler against slamming the door, but you may become exhausted and more frustrated seeing that your toddler isn’t listening to you.
Instead of repeatedly saying, “stop slamming the door” or “stop doing that,” explore some of the other options mentioned.
Teaching Your Child To Close The Door Gently Without Yelling
Kids frequently do things we repeatedly ask them not to do, and it can be tempting to tell them again, but much louder. This can quickly escalate to yelling.
In addition, if saying the same thing to them repeatedly fails to solve the problem, try something else. For example, if “Don’t slam the door,” “Stop slamming the door,” and “You are going to break the door” all fail, try something else.
An old wise quote states, “Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.” The same applies to saying the same thing repeatedly and expecting children to act differently. Be creative and act decisively.
Despite the temptation to authoritatively “stand your ground” and say, “do this because I said so,” try to understand him and speak calmly to him. There’s probably something he’s incredibly excited about, so he’s flying out of the door, and the door closes behind him.
Or maybe your child is angry about something. Don’t throw in the towel, Breathe. It’s ok to be angry. Allow him to calm down, and then practice closing the door gently several times.
Why Do Toddlers Slam Doors?
Not just toddlers but adults also slam doors, but unlike adults who slam doors out of anger and frustration, toddlers slam doors for the following reasons:
Curiosity
Curiosity is a major propeller for the things toddlers do that we adults may find weird or annoying. They try to explore the environment around them by attempting to replicate what they see adults or older children do.
Fascination
When a toddler slams a door, he experiences cause and effect. The fact that he can make the sound come out of slamming the door is fascinating enough for him to want to try again.
Adult Encouragement
Caregivers sometimes encourage toddlers with the goofy faces they make when they slam doors. The animated reaction from an adult is enough motivation for him to keep slamming the door until he gets bored.
Read Also: How To Childproof Toilet Paper Roll From Child
How to Prevent Door Injuries to Toddlers
As intriguing as a swinging door is to toddlers, it can be a danger zone for them when their fingers are jammed.
More than preventing noise from slammed doors, you need to take extra measures to protect your kids from injuries they can sustain from slamming the door.
These injuries can go from mild to severe and may sometimes lead to amputation if you throw caution to the wind.
To prevent this, here are some preventive measures for door injuries to toddlers:
- Ensure your child’s fingers are not between the doorframe to prevent jamming them.
- Before you open the door, check that your toddler is not directly behind the door.
- Use door stoppers or hinge protectors to prevent the door from slamming when open.
- Place a towel between the doorframe and the door or above the doorframe to make it difficult for your toddler to slam the door.
- Teach your toddler how to open the door with the knob to avoid bruising them.
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Conclusion
There are different suggestions on how to stop toddler from slamming doors, and while each method is effective, sometimes you need to combine more than one method to get the job done.
Toddlers are a handful to deal with, their energies are unmatched, and it can get irritating sometimes. But if you know how to manage them well, you’d live more peacefully with them.