5 Tips for Safer Play Outside This Summer

Summer is a time for family beach vacations, camping, hiking, county fairs, farmers markets, trips to your local playground, and above all else–quality time spent together in the sun. With children at home and out of school for several more weeks, parents and caregivers alike are looking to maximize time spent outside, away from screens and taking in some much-needed vitamin D.

With the summer season comes warmer temperatures and more options for outdoor free play. However, summer also brings potential risks for too much sun or heat exposure and events that require proactive cautions–such as campfires or swimming. While these sunny days and events are vital for children to play, exercise and learn together, it’s equally if not more important for them to enjoy outdoor play safely.

As your family prepares for summer vacations and plenty of outdoor adventures, it’s pivotal to take the proper precautions to ensure that your children are not only happy but healthy this summer. Here are some useful tips to make playing at the playground, beach, campground or any outside environment safer this summer.

1. Apply plenty of sunscreen and bug spray

Whether it’s a day at the beach, running through a sprinkler in the backyard or a summer camping trip, the importance of protecting your childs skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolent (UV) rays and bug bites can’t be measured. Skin damage occurs during daily outside activities–not just the beach–and can take less than 10 minutes for a child’s unprotected skin to get sunburn.

Children’s sunscreen labeled broad-spectrum 30 SPF or higher is ideal for sun protection and is formulated to be easier on a child’s sensitive skin. After the initial layer of sunscreen, make sure you are actively reapplying their sunscreen during sweaty play activities or being in the water.

Camping trips are filled with campfires and nature walks, but also some pesky aspects such as mosquitos and ticks. For the best camping and hiking trips, packing plenty of insect repellent containing DEET and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants will reduce the risk of getting bitten or contracting any insect transmitted illnesses.

2. Water, water… and more water

What else can be said about proper hydration during the summer? Drinking lots of water is the easiest way to prevent heat-related illnesses such as mild heat cramps, heat exhaustion or dehydration. Whether you’re young or old, our bodies need to replenish fluids and regulate internal temperatures in warmer conditions.

According to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, children one to three years of age need about four cups (8 ounces per cup) of water per day, then five cups for children four to eight years old and seven to eight cups of water for children over the age of eight. To avoid any of the mentioned heat-related illnesses, have your child take breaks when playing outside for extended periods of time and find proper shade or cover from the sun. Your family should be constantly drinking water before, during and after prolonged periods of exercise or sun exposure.

3. Have a playground pack available

We all know that summer play activities bring the chance of unexpected injuries, cuts or scrapes both on and off the playground. No matter how old your children are, having a  playground pack available can alleviate common outdoor play worries and serve as a helpful companion regardless of your planned activity.

Playground packs contain items needed in unforeseen or potentially scary situations and are organized into four categories: the weather, incidents/falls, hunger or boredom and the everyday essentials. Some necessities we recommend for your playground pack include sunhats/sunglasses, refillable water bottles, hand sanitizer, a first-aid kit, a change of clothes, various snacks, toys and any essentials you usually carry with you.

Be sure to keep your playground pack organized so you can easily find the proper items when faced with any circumstance thrown your way!

4. Supervise and teach swimming and water safety

Swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and pools is one of the most fun and enjoyable summer past-times for the whole family. However, with swimming comes the potential risk of accidental or near drownings due to not being able to swim, a lack of close supervision or not wearing a life jacket (on boats and in the water).

Both adults and children should practice proper water safety and begin with swimming lessons from an instructor or swim coach–if you are not already able to swim on your own. No matter the size of the body of water, children should always be supervised or accompanied by an adult who is within a short distance from them anytime they’re near water.

The best way to minimize potential instances of drowning is to make sure kids do not have access to water without help or supervision and enroll them in swim lessons at a young age, where they will learn the basics of treading water, breathing under water and specific swim strokes.

5. Be cautious around open flames

Last but certainly not least, teaching your children the dos and don’ts around open flames in the summer is imperative. While s’mores around a campfire and hot dogs on the grill are delicious, burns associated with these activities are not enjoyable. Children can sometimes be fascinated by fire, but making sure they are closely supervised around barbeques and campfires can decrease the risk of burns or other fire-related injuries.

Both campfires and grills should never be kept or used around flammable materials and grills should be maintained and inspected before each use to prevent malfunctioning. And while this is common knowledge for most parents, any open flame should never be left unattended when children are around. You can be the family grill master while doing it safely!

Summers can be hectic for us all, having to plan daily activities for the little one’s but the memories we make playing together can last a lifetime. As the summer shines on, remember to wear sunscreen, stay properly hydrated, carry a playground pack, practice water safety and be cautious around open flames. Playing outside is fun but doing so safely will make it that much sweeter for the entire family!