My wife and I have been using Door Monkeys for 2+ years to keep our (now 3 year old) child and cats in or out of various parts of our apartment. At our peak, we had 6 of them active and they travel with us when we visit the grandparents. It is a temporary, instant door “lock” that can be left in-place and is very easy for an adult to use or remove. They are great because they can positioned at any height and even a toddler can learn to use them. They hold the door open about 1” and resist moderate pulling.
They are a parenting life-saver — from what I can tell, keeping a toddler on-task is dependent on cutting their options. I get a little hit of dopamine every time I latch a door and KNOW I’m not going to be beat by a mad dash.
If your a systems-thinking nerd: this tool trivially cuts the “life with a toddler” problem space. The blurb on Amazon says: fits standard 1-3/8″ thick interior doors, requires standard rectangular door stop moulding (see photos), rounded or beveled door stop moulding requires the Optional Catch (sold separately)”
Issues: They break – a guest didn’t realize we had Door Monkey on and pulled hard enough to break it. They’ll take a 3’ drop okay, but can get messed up if dropped from higher or thrown. On a bigger drop, the internal spring has popped off. I was not able to get it back on, but used a strong, short rubber-band on the outside to take its place. Those are my favorite, because they grip the door really tight. They absolutely chip paint and leave minor dents in molding. For us it’s worth it for the certainty they give. Maintenance: Silicone spray lubricant few months prevents them from sticking.
— Tony Hansmann
Door Monkey Door Lock and Pinch Guard ($10)
Available from Amazon