I hear you on the nightly screw sweep—somehow they migrate everywhere. Last week, I found a washer in the fridge and have no idea how it got there. We’re on a tight budget, so I just repurposed some old plywood as a makeshift barricade. Not pretty, but it’s solid and my little guy hasn’t managed to scale it yet. He did try to tunnel under once, though... kids are basically tiny escape artists.
Honestly, I think you’re doing a great job with what you’ve got. Plywood isn’t glamorous, but it’s sturdy and gets the job done—sometimes function just has to win out over form, especially with little ones around. If you want to make it a bit less of an eyesore, maybe try painting it a fun color or adding some peel-and-stick decals? It won’t stop the tunneling attempts, but at least it’ll look intentional. Kids really do have a knack for finding every possible escape route...
Honestly, plywood barriers are underrated—sometimes you just need something solid that works, even if it’s not pretty. I do wonder if you’ve thought about using chalkboard paint? It turns a plain surface into a spot for doodles, which might distract the kids from trying to escape... at least for a few minutes. Not a permanent fix, but it buys you time. Kids and demo zones are a wild combo—I’ve seen more than one client end up with “creative” wall art during renos.
Chalkboard paint is genius—wish I’d thought of that before my youngest turned the drywall dust into “snow” all over the living room. Plywood’s not pretty, but it’s saved me from more than one toddler jailbreak. At this point, I’ll take function over form any day.
I totally get the function over form thing—my kitchen looked like a construction zone for months, and I just gave up on aesthetics. We ended up using a combo of baby gates and those cheap tension rods with old sheets to block off the worst areas. Not pretty, but it kept my twins from “helping” with the demo.
Did you ever try those magnetic cabinet locks? I found them on clearance and they actually worked better than I expected, though I had to keep the magnet taped to the fridge or I’d lose it every other day. I’ve wondered if there’s a more cost-effective way to keep kids out of dangerous spots without turning the house into an obstacle course. Anyone ever try repurposing old closet doors as barriers? I’m always looking for ways to reuse stuff instead of buying new, but sometimes it feels like nothing short of a bank vault would stop a determined toddler...
