Need to protect brick hearth from toddler

[drewmo]

Any suggestions on how to protect this brick so my toddler doesn't get hurt? She's about to walk and the last thing I want is an ER visit for stitches. We're renting this house so I can't glue or tape anything to the brick. I have some foam pipe insulation, but haven't found a good way to attach it. Home Depot sells some specialty made items, but it affixes with double-sided tape. (And, if we owned this home, you bet there would be an insert in that fireplace.)

 

[gpcollen1]

I am in the do nothing camp. Teach your children well, over and over, and they will learn. That spot in particular you can teach with 'HOT' as the danger of course. I have 2 hearths like that and 3 girls have survived it without an issue...and yes, both have wood stoves on them and no burns either - they are no 11, 8 and 4. There is no reason your child should be near that hearth right?

 

[begreen]

I would also probably do nothing, especially if the intent is to use the fireplace. If the fireplace is not going to be used, then maybe get a sheet of 1" foam and cut it to fit. (Or try appliance stores to see if they have some from shipping boxes.) You can tape it to itself and maybe put a couple heavy books or bricks to hold it down.

 

[drewmo]

We're typically the "do nothing" type and when we did have a wood stove, we didn't protect it from the kids. The now 3.5 year-old boy tripped once and brushed it on his way down, but otherwise he knew it was hot and dangerous and kept clear of it. What scares me about this hearth is that it is little high and those edges look really sharp. I'd be really upset if our little girl knocked out her teeth or something worse. With her starting to walk and her rambunctious brother always on her tail, I see a disaster in the making. Probably over-reacting, but I'd like to be on the safe side of this one.

 

[Sisu]

You could buy a free standing fireplace screen with hinged sides and place it at the corner. It is another physical and visual barrier, that would keep the kids away from the edge and the fireplace.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Put the child in this:

MAtt

 

[cmonSTART]

A lot of my clients with children have some foam on the corners of the hearth. It's a right angle strip of foam which you adhere to the edges of the hearth. It seems a bit more friendly than a rough brick edge.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That foam pipe insulation could work for what you are looking for. You could also put up a fence that would keep the toddler a distance from it. Perhaps you are worrying too much but I also know what it is like when the young one is one of yours. Do what your heart tells you in this case.

 

[PapaDave]

Put the child in this:

MAtt

Yep, in a rubber room.
Seriously, My youngest daughter (who's now 29) went over the handlebars on her bike when she was about 8, and broke her jaw. Had her jaw wired shut for a few weeks.
Only way to keep it from happening would have been body armor or no bike. Shat happens.
I fell down the basement stairs when I was but a wee lad just learning to walk and did it with a pen in my hand. Mom said the pen ended up through my tongue.
Don't know how I got that close to the stairs. Shat happens.
I'm in the "teach them well" camp, but.......well, you know.