Hot Items Around the House That Are Dangerous for Kids

In the Laundry Room

• Many little kids love to help with the laundry, but be careful when you open that dryer door right after the cycle stops -- the inside of the door and the surrounding opening may be hot enough to cause pain if your child touches it. The iron is another small appliance that poses a big danger if touched. Make sure you use the iron when your child is safely out of reach, and when you are finished, store the cord on top of the ironing pad so that little hands can't pull it down. Better yet, store the iron safely way on top of the dryer or other high location. Ironing boards are often not very sturdy, and your child may easily tip it over -- causing a heavy, hot iron to crash to the floor.

In the Bathroom

• As parents, we are always diligent to check the temperature of the bath water before we give our kids a bath. Hot water is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of hot items in the bathroom. But there are other dangers too, specifically, beauty appliances such as curlers and hair straighteners. Always keep your children away from these appliances when you are using them, and if you think your child may be tempted to touch them when you are done and they are cooling, place them far out of reach -- even in another room if they are too hot to stick in a drawer. This goes for the hair dryer also; many take a while to cool down after use.

In the Family Room

• Entertainment electronics such as surround-sound systems, DVD players and even cable boxes can become quite hot to the touch, especially if your kid tries to work it himself, or reach a hand into the machine. Although they shouldn't get hot enough to burn your child's skin, they can still be hot enough to cause a bit of pain. These things are often left within reach of children. Tell your kids not to touch them, or put them behind a cabinet door, and then attach a childproof lock. If you do crafts in your family room, and use a hot glue gun, be sure to leave it high out of reach of your child when you are using it, and until it cools. Finally, if you have a fireplace or wood stove, know that the doors or surround can get hot to the touch. Teach your child to stay far away from it when there is a fire going, and even after the fire goes out.

In the Kitchen

• The kitchen is likely the first place most people think of when it comes to hot items around the house, and the stove tops the list. Stoves and the pots and pans on top of the stove are dangerous for kids, especially if they can reach the front burners. One way to block curious little hands from reaching hot burners is to block them with a stove guard, which attaches to the front of the stove and blocks access to the burners. In addition, it's best to get into the habit of turning all pot handles away from the edges of the stove. For added safety, if you are boiling a liquid, do it on one of the back burners. Other kitchen appliances are also potentially dangerous. Children often like to help cook, and they usually start with something simple, like making toast. But toasters can get very hot -- too hot for little fingers to touch. Even your morning cup of coffee can be a hazard -- coffeepots, with their very hot carafes or mugs, can cause liquid burns if tipped. Don't forget those kitchen play toys, either. One toy toaster reached surface temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, according to "Good Housekeeping" magazine.