Autumn Safety Tips for Kids

It’s the fall! After the hot months of summer, the weather is finally cooling off. Of course, just because the weather is changing, doesn’t mean parents and their kids shouldn’t be careful. Besides Halloween trick-or-treating, the fall brings plenty of fun, but also it’s fair share of unique safety hazards. These autumn safety tips can help to keep kids out of harm’s way. With some care, this can be an exciting and fun time for them! 

Autumn Safety Tips Start Include Pool Safety

Depending on where you live, the weather might be getting chilly. As the temperature drops, the family will have fewer reasons to take a dip. In this case, it’s best to close up your pool quickly and efficiently. After all, an open pool area is an invitation to curious children. This is especially dangerous since, according to the CDC, drowning is the most common cause of death for children under four years of age. To learn more, here are some safety tips for closing your pool.

Staying Safe in the Dark

As we mentioned in last week’s Halloween CDC guidelines blog post, nighttime arrives more quickly during the fall. Kids should avoid playing in the street when visibility is low. Additionally, wearing bright reflective clothing and backpacks can help to alert drivers of their presence. Children may love to play outside all day and all night, but a fun playtime can easily turn tragic if they hang around in the road. To be blunt, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Beware of Leaves

Next, let’s talk leaves. Jumping into a big pile of leaves is a rite of passage for lots of kids. This is a lot of fun, but it can also be more dangerous than many parents realize. Those colorful piles can hide sharp sticks, thorns, bugs and even hidden rocks. Jumping in blindly can lead to painful scratches or even a concussion. Always be careful and look before you leap.

Additionally, autumn is a bad allergy season for many people. Wet leaves can kick up mold and harmful bacteria when jostled. These particles can irritate the sinuses of folks with allergies or asthma. As fun as jumping in the leaves can be for kids, the safest course of action is for parents to dispose of these leaves immediately after raking them.  This removes the temptation and the danger.

Bikes and Autumn Safety

A bicycle can be a lot of fun... but it can also be quite dangerous. If you’re riding a bike, no matter the time of day, you should always wear a helmet. That goes for adults as well as kids. A fall from a bike can be serious, or even deadly.

Besides a helmet, here are some more biking safety guidelines to keep in mind:

• When biking with friends, avoid the road. However, if you must ride on the street at any point, ride single-file to avoid being in the middle of the road.
• Do not ride at night. If your child does ride at night or in the street, equip the bike with a reflector and horn.

To learn more about biking safety, read our dedicated blog post. To secure your pool area, check our pool fence and safety products here.