My husband is from CA and would never allow me to hang glass over a crib (or over the kids' or our bed). I used to think that didn't apply to us, until we had our own earthquake here in the the mid-Atlantic states. Now I'm a believer- only unframed canvas goes over our beds. If you really must, I like the way they hung their daughter's mirror on Young House Love- they screwed the frame into wall studs. You could also switch out the glass for plexiglass and move the crib away from the wall.

Oh my goodness! What a coincidence! I was having this same concern hanging my nursery frame collage just yesterday.

One thing I made sure of was to anchor the screws. Much more time consuming than nails, but nothing would make me sleep better (ha! newborn?) than knowing his little head would not be hit with stray frames.

For one piece that was particularly heavy, I made sure that the bottom of the frame was almost behind the crib rail so that if it did manage to fall off of the anchored screw, it would just fall behind the crib. Whew! I felt so much better!

Good luck!

Hannah McCoy
hannahmccoyinteriors.com

Three ideas: 1) Replace the glass with clear plastic. It's more expensive, but much lighter and obviously won't shatter.
2) I actually hung a large piece of art above my son's bed (see the post right below this one) and was concerned about the same thing since we live in earthquake country. At the frame shop, a very experienced person told me that if you wire the back of the frame instead of using those little tiny hook-things that come on store-bought frames to hang art, and then you use a sizeable nail with hook, the art is much more likely to stay secure on the wall. This person told me after our last big earthquake, the people coming in to have frames fixed were those that did not have a wire across the back.
3) As a mom with two curious boys, I can tell you that you will want to hang that art high enough that curious baby-fingers can't reach it because babies have a much stronger grip than you'd imagine and that piece of art will be irresistible to him/her.

You don't! :) We're too paranoid living on a massive fault line that's bound to give any day. We hang only lightweight things above our beds (embroidery hoops above the crib). Not a solution for hanging framed art, but a suggestion? :)

Perhaps a better solution for US would be to MOVE. :)

Please don't. Your "mommy instinct" is already kicking in making you nervous about putting the frames up. After 4 kids, I have learned (sometimes the hard way) to listen to my mommy instinct - every time.

According to my dad, who is both an engineer and a welder, you can't do so safely because the risk is too great.

I kept saying things like "anchor in the wall" and "studs" and he just said NO. This applies both to framed art and/or anything heavy. Changing out the glass to plastic isn't good enough.

This may not work for the particular pieces that you have in mind since they are already framed, but an option could be to hang just dry mounted artwork above the crib. We have a dry mounted piece above our bed and it is so light weight I've never been concerned about it falling on someone.

:( Now I feel like a terrible parent. I didn't even consider this and we have 3 pictures hanging above the crib.

When we were going through this same debate, my husband pointed out that I go to great pains not to purchase plastic toys that "might" contain lead from China, feed my child organic foods to avoid unknown chemicals, etc... then shouldn't I exercise that same caution when decorating our baby's bedroom.

The baby is not going to appreciate that fantastic print/picture hanging over her crib, but she definitely would appreciate not having it fall on her head!

I'm too paranoid to hang anything framed, so we just have the colorful mobile. Maybe a large unframed print with the old college trick of sticky tack? Or a fabric hanging?

That's a good question - we ended up going with a large decal (a map of the world) over our son's crib just for that reason. It looks great and will be easy to peel off.

We had our print foam-mounted, then hung it with 3M Velcro picture-hanging strips. The foam core is light enough that if it fell, it wouldn't hurt the baby.

We don't hang art over the crib, either. My husband painted a fantastic mural instead. Other options are decals, a tapestry, etc, etc. Hang the art in other parts of the room!

My dad told us he'd drop off a painting he had done to put above the crib. I didn't realize until it got here that it was about 36" x 48" with a thick wooden frame.

It's currently leaning against a wall in our bedroom.

You can use security mount hardware like they do in hospitals and hotels. They sell kits online. As long as you install the artwork correctly it's fine. If you're not handy get a professional to do it. You can also just use an L bracket and screw that directly into the frame and then to the wall (using a wall anchor if you're not going into a stud).

I got a big frame at Ikea for an Ork poster I bought, and it didn't have glass but plastic. It's up in our living room and one would never guess that it's not glass.

I definitely think plexiglass or no glass is the only way to go. For the actual hanging I love the Ook French Cleat from Home Depot. I wrote about how I hung nursery art with a French cleat here: http://www.tealandlime.com/2011/12/french-cleat-for-hanging-art/

The same way you'd hang anything you need to stay. Find a stud and hang. Also, be sure frame/glass is properly assembled. There's no magic here...if hung properly (and out of reach of course) you will literally need an act of god for it to fall...if that happens...well...he's got a plan right?

If you wouldn't drop it on your baby's head...

Of course, I'm a Californian. Let your paranoia be your guide!

I had lightweight plexi glass frames over the crib, but I also had a bit of space between the crib and the wall so if it bumped off, no big. if it was bigger I'd consider attaching it to the wall like in a hotel. now that my kids are all over the place, the art is light and removable :)

I have pictures hanging... I don't live on a fault line, so I don't worry about it. I have never been in an earthquake, but if you attached it to a stud and wrapped the wire from the back around the screw would that work?

Something else worth considering, is a child's ability to move things. I had two large frames near my daughter's crib (not above) and she miraculously was able to turn one upside down without it coming off the hook (at less than a year old). So now everything is far from the crib. Above her crib I have a decal of her name. So definitely think about their ability to reach up and pull things down too.

I always felt better knowing there was nothing on the wall near the crib. It would just be one more thing to worry about.

Best not to - we have had a couple of accidents @ our house!

Someone mentioned french cleats earlier and these are really secure. You can move the crib out from the wall, too.

I just used really light weight frames (from ikea), they came with plexi instead of glass. I also used command picture hanging strips on all four corners of each frame along with a nail (hammered into a stud). The frames won't budge! Even when I push them with all my super human mom strength....

How about moving the crib as well? Six - 10 inches off the wall should help anything that might fall and keep baby's hands just far enough away to keep from reaching.

What JGM2116 says. Strips on all four sides, plus hanging hardward mounted into a wall stud. Won't come down unless the whole house comes down, and if that's the case, we've got much bigger things to worry about.

Another Cali Mommy says "don't do it". I worked in a restaurant with lightweight, dry mounted posters on the wall. One fell on a customer, caught him on the cheek with the corner and cut him badly. Decals are everywhere and super safe!

My husband still has the scar from the frame that broke and fell in his crib when he was a baby. My mother in law wanted me to sympathize on her lack of luck, I just felt like she wasn't very clever ... For us it was all fabric bundles and mobiles and decals, and now that the boy insist on posters, they are unframed and attached with tac and command sturdy, non dangerous adhesive. And I check them regularly. My husband could have been killed by the broken glass. I am so glad he wasn't , and taking no risks.