Toddler Can Unlock and Open Sliding Glass Door

Updated on October 01, 2010
K.W. asks from Olathe, KS
20 answers

Hi Moms,

Last night my 21 month old son showed me (proudly) that he could not only unlock, but open our sliding glass door. Does anyone know of an extra lock that I can use to put on it? I put a board in the back so he couldn't open it but I want something a little more visiable if it is available. I know I'm going to forget the stick is in one day and rock that sucker right out of it's tracks.

Thanks for any suggestions.

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Featured Answers

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

One Step Ahead has a sliding door lock. A neighbor put one on their door and it worked great, until she was tall enough to get a chair to reach it. By then though they were able to teach her that she should not do that.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Up HIGH on the door... put a hook and eye latch lock.
That is what my friend did... who has 3 sons... who ALL did that.

You simply get a latch, and install it up high... on the door.
Where only you and adults can reach it.
At least.... 5 feet up the door or higher.

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

L.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

We put a slide lock at the top of our sliding door. The slider portion of the lock attaches to the part of the door that slides, and the lock that the slider enters into is attached to the top of the door frame.

I know that's not a great explanation, so if you are interested in how we did this, just message me, and I'll give you more detail...

2 moms found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from New York on

We did the hook and latch thing too! It worked well and didn't ruin the door in any way. My two yr old has now also figured out how to take off his shoes and socks and use his toes to open the windows and door of the car... thank goodness for those safety locks!

2 moms found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from St. Louis on

There is a lock that you can attach at the top of the sliding glass door - directly behind the one you open so that no one can open until you unlock it. I believe we got ours at Home Depot or Lowes.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.R.

answers from St. Louis on

as well as a lock, you might put an alarm on the door as well. You can get them from Lowe's. They are wireless and have little sticky backing on them. They go off if opened. Not to expensive either, can get 2 for about 12 I think.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Boston on

They a stick type of thing (safety/childproof device) to use on sliding doors. I'm sure babies r us has.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Boston on

Not sure if I'm repeating because I didn't read the other posts, but we just used an oven lock because we didn't want to drill into the wall and had a laminate doorframe anyway. We put one side on the wall and the other side on the door. Worked very well. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from St. Louis on

We have these great little locks at the top of the door... I think my husband
bought it at Home Depot. It attaches very easy and you pull it down to unlock and twist and push it up to lock! It worked so well we put it on our
downstairs door as well! My daughter put them on their sliders too! It was a blessing since I watch my 7,4,3 year old grandsons everyday! Hope this
helps! They are white and it's like a little cillander(sp?) that you pull down.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from San Diego on

We have a spring loaded lock at the top too, for the same reason. We got it at Home Depot and daddy installed it. the bar goes up into a hole drilled in the frame. it is white to match the door frame so it looks nice.

we had a wooden dowel/stick in the floor track but 2 probs with that-- 1, toddlers move it and swing the stick around *ack!*, and 2, once it fell back into the track after I had gone outside and I was stuck outside

1 mom found this helpful
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K.T.

answers from Dallas on

thedoorguardian.com We got this because our kids did the same thing. It's AWESOME! I recommend this to everyone! It keeps the kids from opening the door and it's like an extra lock for the door since you can't actually put a lock on. It also allows you to open the door slightly with the screen closed for some fresh air and keeping the door locked in that position so they can't open it further. It was easy to install (took 15-30 mins) and my husband isn't habdy at all! Good luck. Oh and it's like $20 I think. You can only get it through their site though.

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

We took a 4" X 4" X 3 ' block of foam (it was firm and slightly spongy, not brittle and stiff) from some packaging that we had, trimmed it to fit snugly, and we could jam in the door way up high where it was out of our son's reach. It worked like a charm. It was easy to see it was in place, and when it was in the door there was no opening it until you took it out of the way.

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

We cut a broom handle to fit, as a security device to keep people out - im sure it would keep people in as well!

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A.S.

answers from Denver on

When he proudly opened the door it was a teachable moment.

"Yay! You opened the door all by yourself! You are a big, strong kid! Remember, you don't open the door unless mommy is with you. It's very important to keep the door closed, unless I'm here to go outside with you."

Teaching limits and correcting behaviours goes a long way in preventing accidents and injuries. That way, they're safe no matter where they are and whether the door is locked or not. With each new step toward mastering their environment, they need the rules and instructions to interact with their environment safely. GL!

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E.E.

answers from New York on

In addition to the regular lock, we have a lock and key up high (like I can't reach it without a chair high).

I'm not sure if it came with the door or if the people who owned the house before us (also with small children) put it in.

Good luck finding something.

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

measure the space where the door slides and get a piece of wood cut to put in there so that it either wont open or will only open an inch or so.

L.M.

answers from Dover on

We used a bar system that worked like the stick you described; however, my toddler would proudly show she could remove it...and defiantly did just that! We (my husband) installed a lock that you place at the top of the door directly behind the sliding part of the door. When slid in place, the door will not slide at all AND there is a key that allows you to lock it so once your child can climb to unlatch it, you can keep it locked.

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L.R.

answers from Wausau on

Charlie bar, We have one in our downstairs door, got it at menards, but make sure it isn't the only door out on that level there is nothing better then knowing that your child can get himself out of the house in an emergency if needed. Teach him when it is alright to do so by himself. On our other doors we have alarms that go off if it is opened along with our upstairs windows they were not too expensive and have proven very helpful already with our three year old. They send off an aweful sound if a door or window is opened can't miss the noise.

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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

My in-laws have a pin in the top where the two doors meet. I think it's something you can drill yourself.

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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

Either what SH said , or get a lock smith in and have another bolt type lock put on at the top of the door

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