Parents can make their kitchens safer places for inquisitive toddlers with a few simple DIY projects.
According to researchers in the US, kitchens can be treacherous places for little ones, who can actually reach much higher onto kitchen units than their mums and dad think.
A team led by David Allasio from the Children's Hospital of Michigan found that most children between the age of 12 and 23 months can touch the top of a standard kitchen cabinet.
They encouraged more than 50 toddlers to reach for a toy phone placed on top of a kitchen worktop and discovered that three quarters were successful in their aim, despite varying in height and weight.
Mr Allasio sad the findings could help parents reduce the risk of accidents such as burns from hot liquids in the kitchen.
Easy home improvements can be carried out at a low cost to prevent toddles from injuring themselves.
For example, child-proof locks on cabinets will stop youngsters getting at crockery or household cleaning products, while baby gates could keep them out of the kitchen altogether.
