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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Stair gates - At what age do you not need them?

34 replies

TwoScrambled · 03/05/2009 10:01

Title says it all really, when can you take them down? At what age? Logic tells me its when he can go up and down on his own safely but paranoia make me ask the question!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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feedthegoat · 03/05/2009 10:03

I got rid of ours when we moved just after ds turned 2. Ours didn't fit and by 2nd day there he was trotting up and down happily so there didn't seem any point.

ShowOfHandsNoLongerKissesKunes · 03/05/2009 10:05

23 month old dd is safe up and down the stairs but common sense tells me that she's still a bit excitable when running around upstairs and for my own peace of mind they're staying for a while.

mamadiva · 03/05/2009 10:19

Have lived here for 3 years never once had a stairgate DS is almost 3 has never fallen down stairs and is very confident walking up and down them as a result he knows to hold onto banister for support.

DuffyFluckling · 03/05/2009 10:25

There is no right age. You take them down when you are confident that your child can safely go up and down stairs by themselves.

BakewellTarts · 03/05/2009 10:30

For me the top stairgate is staying in place a while longer not just because of DD2 but DD1's bedroom door opens right next to the stairs and I have nightmares about her falling downstairs in the night when not really awake. As others have said all DCs vary as do houses and stairs only you can judge when you are happy to take them down.

Littlepurpleprincess · 03/05/2009 13:54

Never had them in the first place...but was told by a health visitor once that average child can confidently use stairs age 3.

thehouseofmirth · 03/05/2009 14:28

We've kept ours on but only because we have visiting toddlers. Also very handy for drying socks on...

tassisssss · 03/05/2009 14:31

we moved house when ds was 19 months and didn't put them up

however, now we have them up again for our wee ones and think they'll be around for a long time! the other night we had the older 2 in the bath, the baby crawling around the upstairs landing and dh and I sat drinking our coffee on the stair (ie the other side of the stairgate from the kids!).

Meglet · 03/05/2009 14:33

Ds is 2.6 and good at stairs, but I keep them as I need to contain him upstairs / downstairs sometimes. And dd is 8mo and just crawling so I need them for her too. Probably be another 2+ years before I get rid of them, the stairgates that is, not the dc's .

sazzerbear · 03/05/2009 14:40

Agree with Meglet - good to contain them, esp when they can walk/to keep them out of kitchen when cooking. Also peace of mind with top of stairs etc. We had ours before ds, when we got our dog - had to contain him as well!

SnortyBartFast · 03/05/2009 15:06

when they can open them themselves ime

CapnScurvySeaWitch · 03/05/2009 15:10

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

TwoScrambled · 03/05/2009 15:31

Thanks for the replies! He seems quite confident about the stairs, but is only just 2. The stair gate is no longer stable as it has pulled out the plaster from the wall so has been taken down. He seems too young.

OP posts:

CapnScurvySeaWitch · 03/05/2009 15:55

This reply has been deleted

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Karam · 04/05/2009 10:00

We have removed all stair gates for my DD (2.5) except for the one at the top of the stairs which we use at nighttimes only. Haven't used the rest for months (since she turned 2) HTH

wotulookinat · 04/05/2009 10:37

My son is two and a half and can now open all the stair gates in the house. We have left them there purely to keep the dogs separate.

kitbit · 04/05/2009 10:52

ds is 4 and we still have one at the top because he bimbles out across the landing to go to the loo in the night sometimes and we have a long marble staircase with sharp edges. It will stay there until we leave I expect.

wotulookinat · 04/05/2009 13:09

bimbles is a fab word!
You have a marble staircase??!!! Wow!

kitbit · 04/05/2009 14:15

don't be too impressed - we're in Spain, everyone has them! (Should have said nothing and kept the mystery!!)

wotulookinat · 04/05/2009 16:34

Yes, I was imagining grand sweeping staircases and acres of smooth, cool marble.

wotulookinat · 04/05/2009 16:34

(still a bit jealous about you being in Spain though!)

BigusBumus · 04/05/2009 16:48

My son who's 2.4 can use stairs fine, but I keep the top one to kind of trap him upstairs with me when i am drying my hair or whatever. Otherwise he would go downstairs on his own and into scary dangerous situations (well in my mind anyway). Will keep it for a while longer i think. Also its stops the dog sneaking upstairs onto the beds when we go out

blackrock · 04/05/2009 18:59

DS is 3 and needs to walk past he stairs at night to get to the loo. he is not dry at night yet, but we think he will be ready within the next six months, so will remove the gate then. Just worried he might sleepily turn the wrong way in the dark.

P.S Partially related: Inebriated DH turned the wrong way once, naked, out of the hotel room, into the corridor, which he thought was the loo!

acebaby · 04/05/2009 19:07

lol blackrock - adult stairgates might be a good one to pitch on dragon's den...

I took mine down when DS was about 2.6, but in retrospect should have taken them down before. After we took them down he very quickly learnt how to go up and down by himself. Keeping them up so long meant that he had less practice at going up and down stairs and was at greater risk when visiting people's houses. With DS2, I will aim to have him going safely up and down stairs himself soon after he is two. I think this is realistic for most children unless you have either very dangerous stairs, or a very wobbly toddler.

wotulookinat · 04/05/2009 19:10

You can get taller gates made by Lindam (I think) that are advertised as dog gates. Let me have a google...

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