Need Suggestions for New Toddler and Hardwood Floors

they sell these cute alphabet squares, i know that a bag of them cost like 30 bucks or so. they are foam and click together like puzzle pieces. My sister in law uses 2 sets to cover her tile floors.

I know it feels horrible now but this phase goes by so fast its not worth spending any money. Bumps are part of growing. He really can't get hurt too bad unless you have stairs. I was exactly the same with both my kids, but before I knew it they were walking perfectly! The real trouble starts if you decided to have another child and they start shoving each other around hard floors. My kids are well and alive, so no worries just lots of prayers!!!

I have the hardest tile (I love Tile, so easy to clean) and when my little guy was in the falling stage I was in kitters for his little face...so I went and bought those foamy puzzlepiece mats that interlock, and put them in my babys room and play area. Remember that this faze doesn't last too long, and that hard floors provide entertainment for youngsters soon after they stop falling down !!! And, an occasional bump is good for them, it reminds them to not loose their ballance...I remember my little sister learning to walk, my mother padded her down so much that it didn't hurt her to fall, and she was falling for 2 years before she finally got the idea, as apposed to my little guy, who was walking without misshap in a month, and he got bloody a couple times, but we didn't fuss, we just let him get on with it and only took the precaution of covering the hard tile is a couple rooms. Good Luck !!!

Hi L.!

I loved loved loved the interlocking puzzle pieces ideas! Wonderful! We have them at church and the kids love them and they help on our barely carpeted concrete floors. I have carpet in my home but when I knew we were going to go somewhere where he could slip, I used his no-slip sockies! Walmart has them under the Baby HANES brand name and Old Navy has very cute ones too! Good Luck little man!

J.

Hi, we have hardwoods throughout and we use the interlocking mats. You can buy solid black or blue ones at the sporting goods stores and baby themed ones like 123 and abc's at Ross, Marshalls and baby's r us. If you want to pick them up every night then go for the exercise mats at the sporting goods store that I mentioned first. They usually come in four - six large squares so cleanup is really easy. We've covered our daughters entire room floor with letters with the exercise mats underneath for added protection.

I would suggest LOTS of rugs! You said you already have some .. I would just get more. Get a huge area rug. It's really the only solutions unless you are considering replacing your hardwood floors with tile.

Hope this idea helps!

I can't say that I have any ideas. We have wood floors in the kitchen and nook area with the familyroom being carpet. I haven't done anything and he has done fine falling. Yeah he's fallen and hit his head in the back a few times. But it is expected they will fall numerous times, skid their knees,etc. It's all part of the learning process. My son has learned how to fall, for the most part, when he gets off balance. He started walking around 11 months and is now 13 1/2 months. Still tumbles once in a while. Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

Hi, I would floor also and a few area rugs throughout the house and in my daughter room the rug covers most of the floor. She's two now but she did fine learning to walk and walking and or falling...and eventually I got over the worry of her hurting herself cuz she was ok and learned that if you fall it hurts,so she would be careful. I did have to tell her often to slow down. Now the only thing I worry about is sometimes she takes off her shoes and goes around in socks and that get slippery so I always have to check the status of her feet..
ps . I like the remnant carpet idea even if just for the family room...but if that can't happen don't sweat it.

Hi, i hate the fact that almost every house here has soooo much tile. Terrible for babies. What i did was buy a large remnant carpet-sometimes Home Depot has them and usually they are inexpensive. We just kind of kept her in that area as much as we could. They get steady pretty quickly. Good luck!

I had the same problem when my son started to crawl, I wanted to cover every surface of our tile floors.
I think you'll find this site helpful, www.gissybella.com. You'll find padded pants for crawling babies. They are very soft, padded and really unique. Good luck!

Buy socks w/ the little skiddies on them, they really do help from slipping - you can find them anwhere! OR You can use puffy paint and a package of plain socks - and design your own socks!! Alot of times when baby starts walking, they catch themselves w/ their hands and arms outstretched - so this should help w/ them bumping their mouths. I have tile throughout and haven't had this happen yet - my daughter is 14 months. Good luck!!!

We have wood floors on our first level of our house (DH and my bedroom, too). My daughter is 12 months and walking while holding on to things. I leave her barefoot in the house most of the time and she's been fine. She has fallen a few times, but has also learned how to lower herself to the ground slowly and to take her time. (We have one area rug, but otherwise bare floors.)
There is a place just off of I-95 called Bob's Carpet (near Blue Heron Blvd... not sure where you are) where you may be able to get a remnant for less. For even cheaper alternatives, Family Dollar or Big Lots, Marshalls, HomeGoods, etc... may have area rugs for cheap. I would suggest getting a non-slip pad for underneath or getting some carpet padding at Home Depot. (We have that under our area rug... it was leftover from a carpeting job.) It works great!
Good luck, I know it's hard to watch your little one "GO BOOM", but it will happen less and less. As another Mom pointed out, we aren't doing our kids a favor by shielding them from all falls. Making it easier is part of our job, though.

T.
Mom to Katie, 12 months next Saturday!!!