In terms of children and safety tips, winter and summer safety comes to mind first when talking about most outdoor activities.
The experts at the Children’s Medical Center of South Florida all agree that the best way to avoid emergency care is by adhering to the necessary safety precautions as summer temperatures increase.
And while summer is an excellent time for children to go outside and have heaps of fun, it’s still essential for them to have a safe summer. In this article, we’ve gathered ten essential children’s safety tips for those hot summer days that will make their favorite season also the best one.
Summer Safety for Kids: 10 Excellent Safety Tips
While summer is incredibly fun, both parents and children need to look after a few things to avoid problems such as skin damage, dehydration, bruises, and bites. These tips aim the help with all of that.
Skin Protection
During those hot summer days, this is probably the number one children’s safety tip. Kids are especially susceptible to sunburns under the scorching sun. Using adequate sunscreen anytime your child goes outside to play is essential. On that end, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreens with at least 15 to 50 SPF for children.
The sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or every time after sweating, swimming, or toweling off. Also, considering sun protection clothing as an added barrier is always a good idea.
Parents shouldn’t forget that babies under six months shouldn’t be exposed to sunscreen. Instead, they should always be kept under shade, out of direct sunlight. Lightweight clothing with sunhats and umbrellas are all musts.
On the other hand, minimizing outdoor play between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. can also be a good idea, as harmful ultraviolet rays are the strongest during this period.
Eating Healthy
It’s easy to get carried away during summer as there are many opportunities to consume junk food and sweets (just think about all the sodas and ice cream trucks). Still, to have a safe summer and avoid food poisoning and other problems, children should eat nutritious meals that meet their energy requirements and fill them up with the right kind of “fuel” to power through summer.
Water Is Essential
Summer safety for kids cannot be imagined without proper hydration. And this isn’t just for kids who play a lot outside or actively play sports. Every child should be kept hydrated at all times.
Naturally, they shouldn’t meet their needs through energy drinks, sodas, and fruit juices, which may only worsen dehydration symptoms. Water is the best option for every child over one year old, while those younger should be given breast milk and formula to keep them hydrated.
Ride Safety
For parents with kids who love riding bicycles, summer safety should also include getting the right protective gear, such as a properly fitted bike and bike helmet. Practicing general bike safety and following the rules is imperative for a fun and safe summer.
Warding Off Insects
Have a safe summer by ensuring your child’s protection from all kinds of insects that may sting, bite, and more.
- Using insect repellent: Bug spray is imperative for summer safety for kids.
- Be cautious with standing water: stagnant water should be avoided outside the home. Turned-off fountains, ponds, and similar waters can be (and usually are) mosquito breeding grounds.
- Checking for ticks: You should be on the lookout for ticks from May to October and keep your knowledge about tick removal fresh, just in case.
- Don’t lose your calm: Accidents are prone to happen, so keep your cool and know what to do in case of a bee, mosquito, or spider bite. Also, you can always reach out to your pediatrician for additional guidance and help.
Avoiding Hot Cars
Never forget your child in a hot car on a hot summer day. As improbable as you think it may be, researchers actually estimate that caregivers leave their sleeping child in the car’s backseat more often than we might think. And in some grave cases, even a well-meaning gesture can lead to disastrous consequences.
To ensure summer safety, please, always take your child with you when you leave the car.
Practicing Water Safety
Pool safety tips for families should be considered if you want to have a safe summer and some fun under the sun in the pool. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the leading injury-related death cause in children between one and four in the country.
Using drain covers, life vests, and fenced enclosures are only some of the things you can do to improve summer safety for your kids.
Considering swimming lessons and refreshing your CPR knowledge is also highly recommended. Also, ensure that your toddler is always at arm’s length away from you when around the pool.
Non-swimming children should always wear life vests when in water. And when on boats or any other type of watercraft, everybody should wear life vests, whether they’re swimmers or not.
Playground Safety
Even if kids have more scrapes and bruises during this time, you can still ensure they have a safe summer with children’s safety tips that focus on safe playground habits, such as:
- Choosing the right playground with the proper equipment that suits the child’s size, age, and abilities.
- Wearing the right clothes, like sturdy sneakers instead of flip-flops, can really help prevent unwanted injuries.
- Perform touch tests to avoid thermal burns from the equipment on the playground. Simply touch the swings and slides to see whether they’re too hot for use.
- Focus on playgrounds with surfaces like mulch or rubber where kids can run and fall safely. These places are less prone to accidents like asphalt and cement playgrounds.
Lastly, you can always keep a first aid kit by your side to help with the most common playground injuries.
Careful With Fireworks
A third of firework-related emergencies involve children under 15, with the most prevalent injuries being finger burns, hand burns, and eye injuries.
Not giving bottle rockets and sparklers to children and practicing other safety recommendations for fireworks can ensure that the family enjoys summer fireworks without any problems.
The Outdoors Is Great – to an Extent
Kids should take small breaks from playing outside. They should retreat into the shade or air-conditioned spaces at least every half hour.
They need to cool off, relax, and hydrate before they return outside. On that end, humid weather can put active kids at risk of developing heat rashes, so actively taking breaks from outdoor play becomes even more crucial.
Enjoy Summer Safely
Having a worry-free summer won’t be a problem if you follow these common-sense precautions. Always be mindful of the scorching sun, ensure that kids drink enough water, and be extra cautious around pools and playgrounds.
And if you are looking for more safety tips or help, you can always contact us.