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Does anyone have laminate flooring and have a baby/ young child??

I am thinking about getting laminate put down as the carpet needs replacing. I prefer wood/laminate flooring to carpet, think it will be easier to clean and have heard it is healthier. The thing is, I have a 9 month old. Will laminate be a problem when she is learning to walk, in terms of falling onto a harder surface than carpet? If anyone has a baby and a hard floor I'd love to know how you've found it. Thanks! xx

Public Comments

  1. i have laminated wood and a 10 month old.. he preferrs to scoot across the floor because it's so much easier than the carpet.. and it is better with the walker slides across the room.. but i dress him up in thick socks and a good pair of pants so he doesn't get cold.. it's very hard in winter if you don't have proper heating.
  2. My daughter learned to walk on wood floors... she didnt have any problems. They are so much easie rto keep cleen, no allergies or odor issues to deal with either. I say go for it, most babies fall on their BUTTS anyway.. and thats padded! lol It's the sharp edged furniture i would be more concerned about.
  3. I have laminate throughout my house and I constantly worry about my son falling and hurting himself. He's only 4.5 months old but I have to watch him at all times. Even while he is sitting on the floor playing I have to watch because if he tips over he could crack his head. They are easier to keep clean but I wish I had carpet to cushion his falls. My in-laws have Berber carpet and I love going over there to visit with my son because he can play on the floor without me worrying about tipping over and hurting himself. So, given the choice I would much rather have nice carpet than hard floors with a small baby.
  4. I have wood laminate down in my kitchen and my son loves to scoot around on it. I make sure he is wearing socks with grippers on the bottom, that way he can stand without slipping. He has fallen a few times, but he has learned that that hurts and I think it's actually helping him to walk better.
  5. We have hardwood and laminate throughout our house and a 10 month old. It's been no problem so far with her learning to walk... she cruises the furniture and walks with a push toy. Maybe if the child was just wearing socks if might be slippery but with bare feet or soft soled shoes it's fine. It was a bit difficult for her to crawl on the hardwood when she was first learning because her knees would slip a lot and she couldn't get traction. That was only temporary though, and now she gets around really well. Babies fall onto their butts from standing most of the time and it's padded by the diaper. Sure, my daughter has had her share of falls and has even bumped her head several times, but it would happen on carpet too. They really don't have that far to fall and you can't prevent all the falls, nor should you. I would be more worried about the furniture than the floor. Best wishes!
  6. i have hard wood in my whole house and an almost 9 month old.....he falls over every now and then and bumps his head but not very hard. he only hits his head when he falls over while sitting or crawling.. from standing he falls on his butt. do not ever ever let her wear regular socks though....either get the ones with the rubber skid proof things on the bottom or let her go barefoot. i dont even let my 4 year old walk around in socks on my hard floors.
  7. HI I HAVE LAMINATE THROUGHOUT AND MY 2 CHILDREN HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH LEARNING TO WALK ON IT. MY DS STARED AT 9MNTHS SO DEFO DIDNT HOLD HIM BACK LOL. ALL I DID WHEN THEY FOUND THEIR FEET WAS EITHER LET THEM HAVE NO SOCKS ON OR REALLY THICK SOCKS WITH THE GRIPS ON THE BOTTOM. IM SURE YOUR CHILD WILL BE FINE ASWELL. HTH XXXX
  8. Hi there! Laminate flooring is not necessarily a hard surface to fall on, given that the right underlayment can provide a cushion to absorb impact. My sister-in-law has two children (ages 2 and 1), and they do very well in a house with laminate floors through-out. Another option that you may wish to consider if this is a particular worry for you is cork flooring. Don't get this type of cork confused with the crumbly cork boards where you post your "to do" lists! Cork flooring is hard-wearing, has a unique look, and above all is made from a material which is descibed as "cellular". Part of what this means is that there are millions of tiny pockets of air in every square inch that act as cushions for impact. This accounts for the relative "springiness" of cork flooring, and makes it a popular choice for kids playrooms, and even places like homes for the elderly - basically, wherever a fall could be most problematic. Like laminate flooring, cork flooring can be installed pretty easily, with a tongue and groove design. And it has further benefits of being warm to walk on (the cellular nature of cork makes it a natural insulator), as well as being environmentally friendly too (cork oak trees aren't cut down to make cork - the material is derived from the bark, which is removed carefully by hand...). It's just as easy to clean as laminate too, and the same rules apply (don't overwet it). Good luck in your search!