Mounting a TV in a kid's room or playroom

Televisions falling from dressers and stands injure thousands of children every year in the United States. A TV bolted to the wall studs can't tip. That alone is a good reason to mount in any room where kids play — and a few extra choices make it safer still.

Why stands are the risk

A flat TV on a dresser is top-heavy. A toddler pulling open drawers to climb, or tugging the screen to reach a button, can bring the whole thing over. Safety agencies recommend either wall-mounting or strapping both the TV and the furniture to the wall.

Mount it higher than usual

In a living room we aim for eye level. In a playroom, put the bottom edge above a small child's reach — roughly 48 inches or more — and tilt it down a little. Kids watch from the floor and from beanbags, so a slight downward angle actually suits them, and it keeps toys, cups and hands off the screen.

Choose a fixed or tilt bracket

A full-motion arm is a climbing frame to a five-year-old, and pulling on an extended arm puts the most stress on the bolts. A low-profile fixed or tilt bracket keeps the TV tight to the wall with nothing to grab.

Bolt into studs, always

This is the room where "it's only a small TV, anchors will do" is the wrong call. Lag bolts into studs. If the studs are in the wrong place, use a wide plate or a backer board rather than drywall anchors — more in can drywall anchors hold a TV.

Cords are a hazard too

A dangling power cord is something to pull and a loop is something to get tangled in.

• Run cables inside the wall or in a closed cord cover fixed to the wall.
• No loose loops below the TV.
• Use an outlet behind the TV where possible, with tamper-resistant receptacles.
• Keep game consoles on a shelf, not on the floor with cables stretched across the room.

Protect the screen

Kids throw things. Clear acrylic screen protectors exist for most sizes and are far cheaper than a new panel. Keep the TV away from the spot directly opposite the indoor basketball hoop.

Furniture below

If there's a toy chest or low shelf under the TV, anchor that to the wall too. Anything climbable should be fixed.

Old TVs

When the new TV goes up, don't move the old one onto a bedroom dresser unsecured. We can haul it away for $29.

Bunk beds and lofts

Keep the TV out of reach from the top bunk, and never mount where a child could fall against the bracket's edges.

Kid's-room mounts cost the same as any other: labor from $94, with a fixed bracket at $39.