ᐅ How can I make Ikea BESTA child-safe for use in a kids’ room?

Hello everyone, I am planning to use the Ikea Besta system as storage in the children’s room. However, I am concerned about making the units childproof since I have small children who are often curious and like to open doors or pull out drawers.

My specific question is: What measures do you recommend to secure the Ikea Besta furniture in a children’s room so that children cannot easily access heavy doors or the contents inside, while also preventing hazards like tipping or trapping?

I am interested in practical solutions such as special child safety locks, additional fastenings, or the use of certain materials to effectively minimize the risks.

It would be great if you could also point out potential weak spots that might not be immediately obvious. Thank you in advance!

Hello, I would recommend securing the BESTA shelf to the wall to prevent tipping. Additionally, you can install door and drawer locks from IKEA or third-party suppliers. These small child safety locks prevent children from easily opening the doors.

For safety in a child’s room with IKEA BESTA, I recommend a combination of wall mounting and lockable latches for doors and drawers.

- Wall anchors: These ensure that the furniture does not tip over, which is one of the greatest hazards.
- Child safety locks: Magnetic or mechanical locks prevent unauthorized opening.
- Edge and corner protectors: Especially for lower units within children’s reach, these protectors reduce the risk of injuries.

Pay attention to the load capacity and properly secure the furniture to suitable building materials. It is also advisable not to place heavy items in upper compartments to reduce the risk of falling objects.

Maria35 schrieb:
- Edge and corner protection: Especially on lower units accessible to children, these protective elements reduce the risk of injuries.

That’s really good advice! I attached soft corner bumpers on the left side at our place – it saves a lot of bumps and bruises when little speedsters suddenly crash into them 😅.

Also, I really like the idea of making the BESTA even safer with appropriate child safety features like “finger trap prevention.” There are also magnetic locks that are invisible from the outside – perfect if you don’t want to do too much DIY.

And yes, securing the furniture firmly to the wall is essential – nothing easier than a tipping hazard. Kids and furniture, you never know what they might get up to! 😉

ju_ren schrieb:
I would recommend firmly securing the BESTA shelf to the wall to prevent tipping.

That’s a good starting point, thanks. I’m just wondering if the wall fixings included with BESTA are generally sufficient? Or do you use special anchors or additional brackets?

I’m also interested in whether the child safety locks are really reliable, especially if the doors are opened frequently, without the small parts breaking or coming loose.

Regarding wall mounting: The supplied screws may be sufficient for standard walls, but for drywall, I definitely recommend using special cavity anchors or even metal anchors. Better safe than sorry!

As for safety locks: Magnetic child safety locks are my favorite because they are very easy to use, invisible, and usually quite durable. A little tip: If you need to open the doors frequently, try higher-quality ones from a hardware store—they tend to last longer than cheap versions.

And always remember – safety locks are not a 100% guarantee, but a good precaution. In general, the nursery or child’s room should be kept child-friendly and tidy.