Are there any drawers or cupboards in your kitchen where the answer to "can I explore this?" Is"YES!"??? I can set up all the activities in the world but nothing seems to grab August's attention like exploring what is already on offer - and he must think the kitchen is magical. 

Of course, it's important to keep babies safe. We have a baby latch on the cupboard under the sink that holds cleaning products. We also have latches on the two cupboards that contain bowls and glass fishes because August is strong and he likes to bash things. But the rest is fair game and free to explore. 

Pots and pans? Yep go for it. Oven trays. Tin foil rolls. Cloths. Kitchen utensils. All of it is accessible. Sometimes it ends up all over the floor but mostly he likes to take things out then put them back. 

I think we worry so much about our babies getting hurt that we close off things like cupboards and drawers in case they trap their fingers or get something heavy. August has definitely trapped his fingers a number of times and he's dropped things on his toes - but they're small, fleeting injuries and he learns from them. He's quite the pro at drawers now! Our babies can't learn how to be safe in these adult spaces if they never get to try. 

So - I challenge you. Can you make at least one of your drawers or cupboards into a YES instead of a NO?!