Summertime can and should be a fun time for your child, with numerous outdoor activities to enjoy. To help keep children safe while they play outside, we’re offering these outdoor safety tips.
Playgrounds
What’s most important on a playground: appropriate adult supervision. According to SafeKids.org, about 45 percent of playground injuries occur when there isn’t enough supervision. Because falls account for about two-thirds of playground injuries, it’s important to choose one with shock-absorbing surfaces—these include sand, mulch, rubber, synthetic turf, pea gravel and wood chips. Playground rules should include:
- No pushing
- No crowding others
- No necklaces, scarves, purses or drawstrings on clothing
Akron Children’s Hospital asks parents to report playground problems, such as broken swings or loose bolts, so they can be fixed before any children are injured. Make sure the equipment your children want to play on is age appropriate. It can be tempting for younger children to want to play on equipment intended for older ones, so redirect them to what’s safe. It makes sense to stay away from a playground that’s crowded, and it also makes sense to teach your child how it’s safe to play outside–and how it’s not. Teach, for example, that people should stay away from moving swings, always follow safety rules and the like.
Here are even more playground safety tips.
Swimming
Splashing in water can be a wonderful way to play outside while also cooling children down in the summer heat. But it’s crucial to follow water safety tips, as drowning is the leading cause of death for children who are one to four years old.
Again, what’s most important is quality adult supervision; it’s also recommended that the adult knows basic water rescue techniques and what to do in an emergency, including CPR techniques. Additional water safety tips include:
- teaching your child how to swim
- making sure he or she can:
- jump into water over his or her head and return to the surface
- tread water or float for a full minute
- exit the water without help
Here are even more water safety tips, including that, although water wings and other swimming aids may be fun for kids to use, they should not be relied upon as a floatation device.
Bicycling, Camping, Hiking and More Outdoor Activities
Healthline.com offers outdoor safety tips for a wide range of outdoor activities, including bicycle riding. Make sure your child wears an age-appropriate, well-fitting helmet and that he or she can ride well enough for the environment where the riding will take place.
During camping or hiking, it’s important to ensure your child is dressed appropriately, wearing comfortable shoes. Apply sunscreen, and make sure your child drinks enough water; knows not to run ahead of whomever is supervising the activity; and stays away from poison ivy.
Additional Information
Finally, Parents.com offers numerous outdoor safety tips for kids, including actions parents should take to prevent sunburn. These include:
- using broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher
- testing a small dab of a new sunscreen on your child’s upper arm, and checking 24 hours later for any redness
- choosing water-resistant sunscreen if your child will be in water
- reapplying according to sunscreen instructions
There are also tips to help them stay cool when summer heat hits.
