09/05/2019
When the sun’s shining and the weather’s warm, kids are likely to stay out in the sun for hours on end. Whilst it’s a great way to boost vitamin D, exposing your child to the sun for long periods of time can increase their risk of skin cancer later on in life.
Here are our top tips on keeping your kids safe in the sun this summer:
Stay in the shade
Encourage your child to play in the shade as mush as you can on hot days and between the hours of 11am and 3pm. If this isn’t possible (i.e they are playing football) make sure they’re taking breaks in the shade at regular intervals.
Apply sun cream
Its’s important to protect young delicate skin against the sun. During the summer, make it a habit of applying sun cream whilst they’re getting ready in the morning and remember to reapply it throughout the day. If your child is swimming, make sure you apply water-resistant sun cream.
Cover up
For the younger kids and babies, it’s wise children to cover up their skin with long shirts and trousers on. It is also advised for them to wear a wide brimmed hat that covers their face and neck. Make sure the clothes aren’t thick and heavy otherwise they will over heat very quickly!
Drink loads of water
Make sure your child drinks plenty of water throughout the day. If you’re out and about take regular breaks in the shade to drink water. To avoid dehydration, bring your own refillable water bottle with you and refill at water fountains when you can. If they have been running around and playing in the sun, make sure they take regular breaks to drink.
Don’t forget about the eyes!
Eyes are often over looked in the hot weather. Don’t forget to protect their eyes against the sun’s strong rays with sunglasses. When buying sun glasses you need to make sure they are under the British Standard (BSEN 1836:2005) and carry the CE mark – these should be on the label.
We make sure we are following the above at our summer camps. You can find more information about our kids camps here.
Keep safe in the sun this summer!