I'm an ungun gal. To you gun folks out there. Is there any other way to KNOW if a gun is loaded than to check inside the barrel?

i hate guns myself which is why i dont keep them around

First off, EVERY firearm is to be considered to be loaded until verified otherwise beyond all doubt every time the weapon is handled for any reason. And even then it's ALWAYS to be handled as if it is loaded. NO exceptions (even for the gunsmith).

As to verifying if a round is in the chamber . . . don't mess with any firearm if you're not trained in firearms safety and familiar with the weapon of immediate interest; defer to someone who meets those criteria and can then train you. Firearms are not inherently dangerous but they're not toys either. And they, like airplanes, are not forgiving of mistakes or lack of knowledge in their use and safety.

But generally speaking with most modern pin-fired weapons all that has to be done is to open the action and actually look (all while keeping the weapon pointed at a safe back-stop and while wearing eye protection). Doing that varies by the type of action. If a round is still chambered in a rolling-block or other single-shot, or a double-barreled, bolt action, pump or semi-automatic weapon opening the action should also extract any round or spent casing from the chamber. With revolvers the cylinder is swung open, if possible, or the top strap is "broken" to open the frame. At that point the head or "heads" of the rounds still chambered should be clearly visible (revolvers are considered to have multiple chambers, usually anywhere from 5 to 9). (Unfortunately some early single-action revolvers don't offer that option so the cylinder has to be rotated and each chamber inspected individually through the loading port.) Additionally you can point the business end of the weapon at a bright light source (remember that safe backstop consideration) and then you should see the light shining through the barrel and lighting up the chamber/breach. The bolt can be removed on many bolt-action weapon for an unobstructed view of the chamber from the rear. And on those where that is not possible a small dental mirror is useful if one is compelled to go to that extent. Never ever look down the barrel of a firearm least you become a Darwin statistic at some point! (Remember, your eyeball is NOT a safe backstop.)

Muzzle-loading weapons are a bit tricker to check. I'm not very familiar with traditional muzzle-loaders (or the modern ones for that matter) but I believe that usually the ramrod is pushed into the barrel (the rod should be marked in some way to indicate chamber bottom). This can be a bit more dangerous. It's very rare, but not unheard of, for the weapon to discharge during this process so use your weak hand if you have no other way to hold the rod, and keep the weapon pointed well away from your body and the bodies of others while doing this, that safe backstop thing.

My firearms are kept in a locked safe that has a combination lock. They also have trigger locks installed with the key (they all have the same keying) kept in a different location. Ammunition is kept in the same safe. (I have a very modest collection.)

For that worst-case scenario a semi-automatic handgun with a loaded magazine inserted is kept close. When not under my direct control and when the kids were still around a very large "rubber band" (it's made for the purpose) was stretched over the end of the muzzle and back to and around the hammer. Impossible to pull the trigger when it's in-place and nearly impossible for a child to remove, takes a fair bit more effort to remove it than to work the slide to "chamber" a round, which is the next step after removing it.

And yes there is a valid reason for a "child" to get hold of a loaded gun and kill someone. There have been a number of instances where children (someone under age 18-years) have successfully used deadly force to defend themselves and their parents from an intruder that was threatening mortal harm, the ONLY justification for anyone to do so.