Safety Tips For Summertime Family Fun

You know that when your children are here with us at Foundations For Learning in our day care of summer camp programs that they are safe and secure. When they aren’t with us, and are out in the wilds of the local park or your neighborhood, you want to keep them safe too. With more outdoor time and activities, summer presents some pretty unique safety challenges. Here are a few tips from our staff.

Gear Up

We know that you don’t let your kids ride their bikes without helmets, but how about scooters, skates, and skateboards? You’ll want to make sure your little ones are set up with all the safety equipment they need.

Inspect last year’s gear. Even if everything looks fine, don’t forget that your child has been growing for an entire year. Make sure everything still fits. A helmet that is too small isn’t going to provide the proper protection. And while it may be tempting to overlook a small crack in a piece of safety equipment, don’t do it. You don’t want to find out when you are on your way to the emergency room that you should have replaced it.

While you are at it, if your child plays organized sports like baseball or basketball over the summer, give that equipment a good once over too. It is always better to be safe rather than sorry.

Practice Sun Safety

Hydrate! Don’t leave it up to your kids to make sure they are getting enough water. If they are having fun in the pool, running through the sprinklers or rushing down the water slide, they aren’t going to necessarily feel thirsty until they are really dehydrated. Make sure small children are drinking a few ounces of water every hour. Teens and adults should get 8 ounces every hour when they are active and in the sun.

Don’t forget the sunscreen. It is very important to apply sunscreen before you are in the sun. Apply your first layer 15-20 minutes before going outside, and always use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

Whatever your sunscreen says on the bottle about being waterproof, ignore it. Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours when you are in the sun and active. If you are in the water or sweating a lot, it is best to be safe and reapply every hour.  

It is also highly advisable to keep children out of the midday sun whenever possible. Equip everyone with a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves, picnic under a tree or plan nap time for when the sun is highest in the sky between 11:00 and 2:00. That’s when it does the most damage. And remember, damage done today, may not show up until your children are adults.

Have a Great Summer!

We hope to see you at summer camp this summer. If you are still on the fence about camp, come by for a visit. And if we don’t see you before school starts in the fall, we hope you and your family have a fantastically fun and safe summer!