Hi, I am in the midst of baby-proofing, and I am hoping for some advice about the gate for the top of the stairs. We would like one that would be easy to open and shut, and be sturdy at the same time. We have a safety 1st one for his room doorway, but it doesn't seem like it is so easy to open and shut, and for the stairs, with lots of traffic, we want one that opens and shuts easily.
Thanks!
We got one from K-Mart that was like $60 and it is just for the top of the stairs. It is awesome. I thought that it was too much money but now I know that it was worth it. It is wooden and is easy to open with one hand. I went everywhere and that was the only place I found in Sharon that had them.
Melan
We use a baby gate that can open and close(like a yard gate would) for our living room. It is pretty sturdy...try as he might, our son hasn't been able to get it to budge. We got it even before we had our son as a way to keep the dog out of the living room while we were away. It has a handle and a latch, so very easy to open with one had and the sides stay fixed. You can check at a baby store or there is www.onestepup.com. They have a lot of great stuff to baby proof and make sure the little one is safe. Good luck! S.
I cant remember the name brand it was, but I got one for 40$ at toyrus. It is a swing both ways, and slider one..It screws into the wall, and it is just plasic.It stretches to 72", but doesnt have to. I love it.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=2629950
we liked this one alot. we never used it for stairs though, it was in a doorway. not sure if that makes a difference. it is so easy to open. and has held up through lots of traffic and little hands on the plastic window:o) it swings both ways which might be very helpful going up and down steps.
I went to Toys R Us and purchased a nice gate for my daycare. The gate is the best one I have used so far. You have to use screws to assembly the gate to the wall but the safety of it not moving or being easily opened is excellent. It's made by Graco and was about 40.00 dollars then. Check there I think you will be happy.
we have the 'kiddy guard'gate at the top of the steps. you need to check the gates' safety specs as some are not approved for use on the steps. the kiddy guard is easy but does require using both hands for the most part. you don't want something that is so easy that a toddler can figure it out though. it is nice because it can be attached just about anywhere - on banisters or walls and uneven surfaces. it also practically "disappears" when not in use so it's not in the way. you permanently install this gate, but when you aren't using it, it rolls up in itself and is completely out of the way.
I love the kiddy guard! Its a little more pricey than most gates, but it retracts completely for when you don't need it. A lot of the gates have a bar that lays across the floor, but be careful about using those at the top of the stairs as they can be a trip hazaard.
After trying different gates, we found the perfect one that has no swinging door and retracts when not in use. Everyone who visits comments on the gate. It is posted on my blog with pictures:
http://www.mamabeartales.com/2009/06/products-i-love-retr...
we got ours at ikea. it's about 30 something bucks. it has bolts that are placed into the wall on one side and the other side has a button that you have to push down on with a little weight to swing it open. it's also good because the kids cannot climb over it, it's slats are vertical so they can't get a grip on a rail to help them over. we use ours like they're going out of style. one at the bottom of the steps and the other at the top. good investment. good luck.
I know a couple of people are suggesting the roll up retractable ones... As a nanny I've worked with these in several different homes with different ages of children... Now as a mother I have to say I would NEVER trust one with my children!
There's a little button that you have to push just right to get it to expand... 2 different 18mo figured out how to do this and push on it so it was loose enough they could crawl under it!! The one 2y/o figured out that he just had to push on it hard enough and the thing would click and he could climb under it!! I don't want to seem like the voice of doom over here, especially for a product that a couple people swear by!! I just want to let you know about my experience so you can make an informed decision!!
We have the Regalo Easy Step, but like someone siad it does have a part that goes across the floor and it probably wouldn't be good at the top of the stairs! We use ours at the bottom.... I would suggest something that screws into the wall!! Other then that I think it's all a matter of preference. Since good gates are expensive remember to think about the long term usefulness of the gate!!
My husband and I are planning on getting this one for the top of our stairs. A friend of ours already has it and it works great. It's very sturdy, easy to install and easy to operate. They carry them at Babies R Us or you could go online to their website:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=226700...
There is also another website called www.onestepahead.com that has a lot of great stuff.
Good luck and happy babyproofing!
Hi R. - we bought a top-of-the-stairs gate from One Step Ahead.com. It was about $109, but well worth it! Solid wood, easy to open...check out their website.
Good luck!
G.
