Is it fine to let a 1 year old play in the next room if I can hear her?

jade_quilt_896629 Oct 2026

On the days her grandparents aren't with us, I'm at home with our daughter, who is 1, and I usually need about twenty minutes to cook or finish some reading. She plays well on her own on the living room mat with soft toys and stacking cups. The kitchen is around a corner, so I can hear her but not see her. I've childproofed that room as far as I can: no loose cords, socket covers, nothing heavy she can pull down. When it goes quiet I check every few minutes. At this age, how far did you let your child be out of sight while playing, if at all? Did you use a camera, or keep moving the play closer to where you were?

1 comment

dusk_balcony_164129 Oct 2026
With my son I kept to 'hear and glance' at that age. I moved a small mat to the kitchen doorway so I only had to turn my head to see him. Out of sight and quiet was the combination that always sent me running, and nine times out of ten he was eating something he'd found under the sofa.
- pebble_piano_231329 Oct 2026
  I have a 2 year old now as well as a teenager, so I've done this twice, years apart. The second time round I put a cheap camera on the shelf, and it was very useful for exactly this, twenty minutes in the kitchen. But the doorway mat is the better first step. The camera made me lazier about checking in person ❤️
- jade_quilt_896629 Oct 2026
  The doorway mat is easy to try, our kitchen door is wide enough. I'd rather not add a camera unless I really need one. Thank you both.