Summer Safety Tips for Toddlers and Young Kids The summer months bring a more relaxed schedule, weekend getaways, outdoor activities and barbecues. But, if you’re a parent, you know that this time of year also comes with some extra dangers. When you spend more time outside or do more physical activities with your kids, you face a different set of safety issues.
However, when you understand what can be a safety hazard and how to prevent accidents and keep your kids safe, having safe summer is easy.
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Stranger and Traffic Danger During the summer, your children probably play outside a lot more than they do during the rest of the year. This means they are exposed to new dangers like strangers and traffic. Teach your kids how to be safe outside so that you can both rest easy. One of the most important safety precautions you can teach your child is not to talk to strangers. Teach her what a stranger is and explain that she should never talk to or go with someone she doesn’t know. Explain that if she is ever in a situation where a stranger is bothering her, she should run inside or scream for you. If your yard is fenced in, make sure the gate is always closed and even if it’s not fenced, teach your child to stay in the yard when she plays. When you go out for walks or bike rides, teach her how to stop at corners and look both ways before she crosses a street.
Poolside Safety You’ll probably be spending some time at the pool splashing and cooling down this summer. Be sure your kids stay safe by using safety equipment and teaching them how to be safe at the pool. Use plenty of children’s sunscreen and have your child wear a shirt or sundress over her swimming suit if she is out of the water for long periods of time. A hat can also help keep the hot sun out of your child’s eyes and off of his face. Kids who don’t know how to swim, and even beginner swimmers, should always wear a life vest or floating wings. Always supervise your kids at the pool and make sure they know how to identify a lifeguard and understand they can ask for help when needed. Make sure your children understand basic pool safety, like not running near the pool, only diving in designated areas and abiding by the pool’s rules. Young children should stay in shallow areas. Bike Safety Equipment and Rules Older kids should understand bike safety and always wear safety equipment when they go for a ride. You’ll most likely need to help younger children put equipment on and you should teach them how to stay safe from a very early age. Kids should always wear a helmet and things like knee and elbow pads are a good idea. When your child is learning to ride a bike, long pants can help her avoid skinned knees. When you go for bike rides with your kids, teach them how to stop at corners, get off their bikes, look both ways and then safely walk across the street. Also teach them to stay on the sidewalk, as it can be hard for drivers to see small kids in a bike lane. One of the best ways to teach bike safety is to model it for your child. Make sure you always wear your helmet and stop at corners to look both ways. If your child sees you skipping safety precautions, he won’t think they are important and will ignore them. Seasonal Home Safety It may not feel like it, but your home does have dangers of its own. In the summer, you’re more likely to leave windows open and use screen doors. Even windows with screens can be a danger to small children who can lean up against them and easily fall through them. Make sure there isn’t anything near your windows that your toddler could climb on to reach them. Small kids can also push screen doors open, putting them in danger of wandering outside unsupervised or falling down porch or deck steps. Be sure to set up safety gates in front of doors when you open them, even if you have a screen door.
If you’re doing some spring cleaning, make sure all cleaning supplies are always out of reach so your toddler can’t explore them and accidentally swallow or inhale dangerous chemicals.
Outdoor Safety Whenever you spend long periods of time outside, keep your kids healthy and safe by being prepared. First, help them avoid dehydration and heat stroke by encouraging them to sit down and cool off once in a while and drink plenty of water. Help them apply sunscreen and have younger kids wear hats to keep the sun off the tender skin on their faces. It’s also a great idea to put things like playground equipment, sandboxes, wading pools and other outdoor toys in a shady area so your kids aren’t as exposed to the sun. Another easy precaution you can take is using bug spray. Even if you aren’t in the woods or going camping, use a kid-friendly spray to help your kids avoid bug bites. If you are in an area where your child could be exposed to things like poison ivy or other dangerous plants, have him wear long pants and long sleeves to avoid itchy rashes. When you do summer activities and spend more time outside, you need to make sure your kids are healthy and safe. Different activities require different kinds of safety equipment, and it’s vital that you teach your kids proper safety precautions. Even when the kids just go out into the yard for a few hours, be sure to keep them safe with sunscreen, bug spray and plenty of water breaks. This summer, don’t let health problems or accidents put a damper on your fun. Follow these guidelines and always supervise your children to avoid problems and make sure your time in the sun is fun for everyone! If you’d like to read more on parenting ideas from Lindam then please visit the Lindam website – www.lindam.com