Door Lock Suggestions for Escaping Toddler.

Last summer we awoke to find our doorbell ringing at about 4am. A little two-year-old from the next street over had walked to our house alone. He had woken up and been bored so he decided to come visit us (his mom and I are friends). He did the same thing one cold night without shoes or anything on. His mom and I debated many ideas, in the end we decided that a chime on the door was the best solution. She didn't want to make the house unsafe (escape in the event of a fire) but she needed to be sure he was safely tucked away. With the chime she can't stop him from leaving, but at least she is always aware when he leaves--and the chime wakes her up in the night if he is being sneaky!

Good Luck,

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2 moms found this helpful

hi K.!
wow does this bring back memories for me!!!
I remember the first time my oldest discovered how to open the door. It was winter time, I was in the shower and Sylvia was taking a nap. I felt a cold breeze waft through the bathroom, so I jumped out & grabbed a towel. When I got to the living room where our front door is, Sylvia was GONE!!!
I freaked out and ran outside (still wrapped in my towel) and started screaming for her. She hadn't gone far at all, she was just right outside the door, but still seeing the door open and my baby not there is enough to scare anybody!

Our solution was to buy a double-locking deadbolt. Its the kind that you need a key to unlock it from the inside. It might seem kind of extreme (my parents & inlaws didn't agree), but at 2 she did the same as your little one. There was not a "child-proof" product that she couldn't Houdini her way out of. And we made sure to always have a key for it where we could reach in case of an emergency.

These locks are sold at all the hardware stores, and of course walmart. I don't know if this is an option for you, but it worked wonders for us!!!

Good Luck!!!

2 moms found this helpful

Is it a slider? We just got one of those oven locks that are like a flat piece of plastic with a buckle and put it way up top. I guess if your son really pulled super hard he might be able to get the plastic to pop off, but our two year old loves to go out and it's been a pretty effective deterrent so far. It might work on a regular style door too, but it might pop open more easily. If that's the case, I second the chain idea. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,

Well when my dad had Alzheimers, he tried to leave the house many times!! I put an lock at the top of the screen door. Not the top of the side, the top. He never figured it out. Maybe that might help.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Can you glue the door knob covers? Those covers prevent anyone who does not have children from opening the door. The plumber and capenter were all but stuck in our house last week!

1 mom found this helpful

There are two locks which work really well. I had five also, K.. The first looks like a butterfly with a hings in the middle in silver color. You can get them in any hardware store or walmart. It measures about 2" x 1 1/2". wish I could draw it for you. put it higher then he can reach even on a chair with a box on the seat. I know where I speak. It is real simple to put on. You don't have to install it. It just insert in the closing of the door. Also if you want something more fixed Use a hook and eye closer. they just screw in by hand. Put them high. Good Luck

1 mom found this helpful

How about a chain lock up at the top of the door? A friend of mine did that when her son was almost 2 and escaping too frequently!

1 mom found this helpful

Yes! Get one of those "hotel" slide-locks. Used this when my son was little and it worked like a charm! if you're ok w/ him opening the door, tell him he can open it as much as it will go and peek outside.

1 mom found this helpful

K.,

We have a really simple hook and eye at the top of the door. So far my 3 little ones (3, 2, 1) haven't figured it out. They do love to try and get outside though. Another option that no one has mentioned is one of those puppy gates. If the door has a large jam (sp?) you could put a gate directly in front of it. If it opens out then there is no worry in an emergency you can open the door and a little kick will send the gate flying. If it opens in and you have a big jam on the outside just put the gate out there. Either way it will be a big deterrent to your little one. Good luck, it is always hard to toe the line between safe and over safe.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,
In our house one my rules is that no one but a grown up can touch the doors. I've never had to baby proof and I've never had an escape. Anytime Evan would try to open the door to go outside he was told know if he did it again time out it doesn't take very many times in time out for them to figure out that they shouldn't do it. If that route isn't for you go purchase on of those eye and hook or a chain lock for the top of your door. Make sure its high enough so that if he pushes over a chair he still can't reach.

Two suggestions: We went through this with our son- 1). Get a bolt lock to install up high. 2). Get a key lock that you can open from the inside and out. -Good Luck!

Go to Home Depot and get a bolt-lock for the top half of the door. The 2-year-old will not be able to reach it for a number of years. Mine still cannot undo the bolt lock even though they are tall enough to reach it! Check to see if HomeDepot will help install if you need them to do it.
Good luck - S. F.

For our porch door we got a safety hook-and-eye lock, which is basically a hook and eye with a spring attachment on the hook to keep it from being opened by a kid. Of course, you would need to be willing to put hardware in the door, but if you are, this is a great option.

The problem with a door lock up high is, you can't get in from outside. A simple gate hook would work, for example, but you're blocked from entering from the outside.

We used the doorknob covers but tied them on with an unbreakable plastic tie (like what electricians use to group various wires together, or electronics cords) or even a length of embroidery floss tied tight. He's too young to operate scissors effectively.

Cheap fix is a hook and eye from the hardware store. We used it on my little brother and it was great. The piece has a hook and eye as well as a spring loaded slider that prevents little fingers from moving it. Just a couple of bucks. W.