Toddler Locked In a Room? Try These 5 Solutions

Toddlers love to explore new things. In the process, they may lock themselves in a room unintentionally (or  in my case, lock me out of the house). If this happens it’s easy to panic and believe you need to hire a locksmith. However, before you rush and do this, one of these solutions may just fix the situation. Of course, it depends on the type of door in the home, but many people find they resolve the issue with the help of one of these methods.

Use the Keyhole

If the door has a keyhole first try and recall if you have a spare key. If so, find it. If not try and push the key through from the other side and slide it under the door. According to films this is easily done with a coat hanger and some paper.

Try a Screwdriver

Many interior doors lack a lock. For those that do have one, they often come with nothing more than a slit in the doorknob that unlocks the door. Use a flathead screwdriver or coin to unlock the door.

If the screwdriver doesn’t work, grab a bobby pin, butter knife, or coat hanger – anything that fits. I would advise that you do NOT let your child see how easy it is to do this because you will never shower in peace again.

Remove the Doorknob

Interior doors  provide privacy for a room’s occupants while reducing noise from other parts of the home. They aren’t designed with security in mind.

See if the doorknob can be unscrewed. If the screws are visible a screwdriver would be enough to resolve the issue. At times, however, the screws remain hidden. In this situation, push the small latch situated at the base of the doorknob. This typically removes the handle so the screws can be seen.

Kick the Door In

This shouldn’t be used as an excuse to play movie hero partly because it could hurt your child and partly because it isn’t as easy as it looks on TV. Parents should only use this method if your child is in danger.  Furthermore, remember this only works if the door opens inward. To kick the door in, use the heel and hit the door near the keyhole or locking mechanism. The goal is to hit the door as close to the locking mechanism or keyhole as possible. Expect to spend a large amount of money repairing the door and frame if this method is used. It’s also worth thinking of something really cool to say when you’ve burst in – just to make is really exciting. 

Call for Help

If all else fails, it pays to contact a locksmith. Although this option remains costly, parents cannot put a price on the safety of their children. Be prepared to wait with the child until the locksmith arrives, which can take a few hours.

Most children who lock a door unintentionally can be walked through opening the door. However, if they can’t for any reason, try the methods above. Parents find using these methods allows them to release the child from the room. Once this has been accomplished, it’s time to calm down and take steps to prevent something similar from happening in the future.