There’s no shortage of people living in high rise apartments around the world. Many people choose high rise living over a home or townhouse because they want “the action” that city living provides. Others live close to work, while some just straight-up enjoy living in a high rise. Whatever the reason may be, there’s no doubt that millions of people living in tall buildings are starting young families – if they don’t have on already. I grew up in the suburbs with a dmll-town feel. As young kids, we had a house, yard and neighborhood to play in. While we don’t have kids, we’ve lived in high rises buildings for years. The idea of having kids has crossed our minds, as has the question of whether we can do so while living in our apartment. On the other hand, several friends who live in apartments do have young families. Based on our research and experience, here are some essential tips for living in a high rise with a toddler.
Living In A High Rise With A Toddler: General Topics
There are many differences between raising young children in high rise apartments vs. other living situations. Some of the topics we’ll cover are for your toddler’s well-being, while others are for your apartment or sanity! These include:
- Safety
- Storage
- Logistics
- Damage-Proofing
- Neighbors
- Balance
Let’s get into the details of living in a high rise with a toddler!
Safety Tips For Young Children In High Rises
Living in a high rise with a toddler is not that different from any other kind of apartment from a safety standpoint with one major exception – falls.
We’ve discussed the types of windows we have in our high rise apartment before, and they’ve all had some kind of stopper or limiter that prevents them from opening more than a few inches.
I highly recommend that you check each window and see if there’s a limiter of some kind. If not, you can bring it to management’s attention before moving in or even signing a lease. Worst case, you can install child-proof window stops yourself.
As for balconies, it’s imperative that the door be protected in some way. Thankfully there are plenty of cost-effective ways to child-proof your balcony doors.
The same can be said for protection on a railing. Many balcony railings have gaps and openings. While the majority of gaps won’t be large enough for a toddler to fit through (due to building code compliance), you never know. It may be worth adding some balcony safety netting – if for no other reason, they’ll at least help prevent a toy from falling!
Storage For ‘Kid Stuff’
Between necessities and toys, there’s always plenty of ‘kid stuff’ around when there’s a toddler in the house.
High rise apartments are not known for their space. Any of us living in a high rise apartment must maximize our storage space, but this becomes even more true with young children.
I recommend checking out some closet organizers for young children for stowing away clothing, supplies and other things like that.
As for toys, you may opt for a space-saving toy box. If you’re really looking to save some space, you can try using an ottoman with storage. That way you’ll get a seat and a storage box in one.
Getting In & Out Of The Building With ‘Kid Stuff’
In a single-family home, the driveway is merely a few steps away from your door – coming and going with kids is not too big of a task.
Living in a high rise with a toddler will involve some logistics and planning when it comes to errands and daily out-and-about activities.
Between waiting for and fitting in elevators, getting to the garage or public transport and just generally getting around, there will be lots of time spent carrying your toddler’s necessities on top of your own!
Related: Best Shopping Cart For Apartment Living & High Rise Logistics: Our Top 4 Picks
I recommend checking out some sturdy bags for carrying kid supplies. Your arms and bag will thank you!
Additionally, you’ll probably want a stroller or other means to carry your toddler. You can carry your toddler with a baby carrying backpack, but strollers are tricker given the storage challenge apartments present. I recommend a lightweight, foldable stroller for that.
Protecting Walls, Floors & Other Surfaces
I’ll be completely honest – I was a messy kid. There were few surfaces in my childhood home that weren’t damaged, worn or altered in some way. My parents were saints.
That said, even toddlers are known to get into some trouble. While not as destructive as older kids, toddlers can still find ways to scratch floors and damage walls. This is problematic in a high rise, because you’ll be charged for fixing damage before moving out.
It’s a good idea to designate a specific play room in your apartment to minimize the potential damage. In the play room, you can pad your floors using interlocking foam tiles. You can also pad the walls to simultaneously keep your toddler safe and your walls fresh.
Even with carpeting, you may want to put down a durable play mat to prevent staining and other damage to the rug.
Lastly, limiting your toddler to the play room only is much easier with a toddler gate for the door way.
Avoid Disturbing Your Neighbors
Taking the steps above will drastically reduce the amount of noise your neighbors will hear from your toddler.
Other than padding the walls, there are two additional steps you can take to prevent your toddler from making noise through a shared wall.
The first way to do so is to teach them not to bang on the walls or make too much noise. Over time, they will get it. If your toddler is anything like I was, they may still find ways to be loud despite knowing not to knock or slam the walls.
If you’re interested, check out our article on soundproofing an apartment.
We’ve also written an article about playing an electric guitar in an apartment, which also provides some noise-reducing tips.
Giving Your Toddler Outside Time
According to Harvard Health, children get many benefits from time spent outside.
In a house with a backyard, this is easy. When you’re living in a high rise with a toddler, this takes a bit more effort.
While toddlers don’t need as much exercise as other kids, getting out of the apartment in general is beneficial for fresh air, sunshine, a change of scenery, exposure to new things, socializing and spending time in nature.
I know how easy it is to lose track of the outside world when living up high – we do even as adults! Getting outside regularly is good for all ages.
Related: Best Shopping Cart For Apartment Living & High Rise Logistics: Our Top 4 Picks
Living In A High Rise With A Toddler: In Summary
If you live in a high rise apartment presently, I hope this article has been helpful in terms for retrofitting your space. If you’re considering moving into a high rise, I hope this article has been informative and comprehensive. Thanks a lot for reading!
