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Sun Safety Tips for Kids for the Summer Season
Stay Active, Stay Safe: Sun Safety Tips for Kids on the Go
Photo Credit: Stacie Connerty
This post is sponsored by Capri Sun; the official drink of the Connerty kids and the perfect way to quench your thirst after some unstructured play.
Sun Smarts! Stay Safe While You Play
Summer is just about here, and so is the sun! Keeping kids safe in the sun isn't always easy, especially for active little ones who love to play outdoors. Like many parents, I tend to be a bit of a sun safety fanatic because we spend so much time outside year-round.
Unstructured, active play is a crucial part of childhood, and my kids are no different. They spend hours outside in the neighborhood, running around and having fun with their friends. My husband and I love joining them on walks or bike rides while they play. But with all that sunshine, it's essential to make sure they stay hydrated and protected from harmful UV rays.
Keeping your kids safe from the sun can be done with these tips.
1. Use the right sunscreen.
A broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with 30 or higher SPF is best, especially if they'll be outdoors for extended periods of time or participating in sports and swimming. Use sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for the face, shoulders, etc.
Do your research about the sunscreen you are using and know which ones are best for your family’s skin type. I use the highest I can find for myself.
2. Practice makes perfect.
Teach your kiddos to apply sunscreen properly, before they get out in the sun. The rule in our family is 30 minutes before you go outside, you put sunscreen on and let it fully dry. If you put it on and immediately go outside, you run the risk of sweat ruining your full coverage.
Show them how much to use, how to apply sunscreen to all areas of skin that are exposed, and point out the parts that burn easily – such as the back of the neck, shoulders, and face. Don't forget the tops of their feet!
3. Keep it limited.
While it's fun to be out in the sun all day, you need to limit your sun exposure between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. This is when UV rays are the strongest.
4. Cover up.
Wear a hat with a brim and sunglasses, to cover as much of your face as possible plus a swimsuit coverup as needed. Look for high-UPF swim shirts to protect even more! 8 Sun Safety Tips for Kids
5. Reapply.
Every hour and a half or so, it's time to reapply. Sunscreen can wear off after swimming, and even sweating. Supervise kids to make sure they're covering all of their exposed skin areas, because some are easy to miss!
6. Drink up.
It's very important to stay hydrated all the time, but especially when you're out in the sun. The risk of heat related illnesses is very real, so be sure to keep cold water with you at all times. Remind the kids to drink up! They might forget if they're too busy playing.
To keep us all hydrated, we keep a well-stocked cooler in the open garage during those hot summer days. We fill it with CAPRI SUN. On a really hot day, my kids love nothing more than a slightly frozen CAPRI SUN Organic in Grape. They ask for them by name and flavor. I have to admit, that I have tried them myself and they are really good.
7. Clouds matter.
Even if there are clouds, your children can get a sunburned. Did you know that UV rays can bounce back from water, sand, snow, and even concrete? Cover up to be safe. 8 Sun Safety Tips for Kids
8. Lead by example.
If they see you wearing sunscreen, they'll be more likely to want to wear it, too! Plus, you need to protect yourself from the sun as well.
Photo Credit: Stacie Connerty
More on CAPRI SUN Organic
I wanted to share a little more about what we are drinking. CAPRI SUN Organic is made with 66% juice plus has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. There is no added sugar and it is sweetened only with fruit juice. You get 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.
CAPRI SUN Organic offers kids a taste they will love and gives parents a wholesome option. Find Capri Sun Organic nationwide for $4.29 for a 10-pack of 6-ounce pouches in the following flavors: Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch, Apple and Grape.
It’s so important to stay safe in the heat and sun. These are great tips. Hydration and sunscreen are so important.
I have pretty olive skin, and don’t burn easily. As a kid I thought that meant I didn’t need sunscreen. Nope! I’m much better about sun safety now, but these tips were a good refresher as we go into summertime.
Cover up + reapply are my motto during the summer. Living in Florida – the sun is ROUGH on us. Very important to stay safe
I can not tell you how impressed I am that you included the cloud tip. I got the worst sunburn of my life after I spent a cloudy day outside at an outdoor festival.
What a great list of safety tips for kids! Thanks for sharing them to help parents have fun but be safe this summer season!
This is great advice! You really do have to keep reapplying sunscreen. It helps a lot.
It’s important to be safe in the heat, Glad you share this tips with us
My niece is at an predominantly outdoor camp now.
She gets a thorough application of different types of sunblocks. The camp also does a good job of using FREQUENCY of block application.
Sunscreen is so important to put on every day. I like to bring a tent to the beach to give us some shade and a great place for the kids to take a nap.
I let my son play outside but I make sure he is protected. Thanks for the wonderful tips.
We stay in during peak sun hours. It’s too hot and easy to burn so we watch a movie in the house or go to the mall.
These are great tips. My kids are so fair skinned, they need sunscreen all the time. And I always make them hydrate.
We never wore sunscreen when we were little so I find it a little hard sometimes to remember to wear it myself but I always make sure the kids have it on. I don’t want them to have to pay for my foolishness!
We live at altitude so all these points are critical here. I put unscreen on under my make up every day.
This is such a great list of safety tips. My wife should know about this
These are spot on, it’s important to make sure that they have all the protection that they need from the summer heat. Keeping them hydrated is a must!
It is important to cover up and drink up!! I tell my kids that all of the time.
Gotta have that sunscreen. At this time of year, I always have a bottle of sunscreen in my purse wherever we go. It’s a must-have for me!
This sounds like a great product. I see this around, but we haven’t tried it. I love that this is 100% organic. I will add this to my list.
The type is so important and even the mode of mechanism. I was using spray sunscreen and it misses so much!
We follow these tips. The hardest one is to make sure the kiddos are drinking enough water, mainly because they are constantly on the go.
I always make sure that the kids have some UPF clothing to wear. It’s come in handy with the littlest now that he has his brothers hand me down.
These are such great tips! We used to spend afternoons at the pool but now we go from 5-8 pm because the kids don’t have to worry about getting burned!
I lost my Great-Aunt/God-Mother to Skin Cancer, we definitely take sun protection seriously! A good sunscreen, trying to avoid the sun during peak hours and re-applying everytime you come out of the water are my personal favorite tips!
I always remind my kids to reapply the sunscreen. Thanks for sharing this great advice
Reapplying sunscreen and staying hydrated are biggies! I didn’t listen to this as a kid and now an crazy about it with my own. They think I go a little overboard but really I just want them to be safe.