Summer Vacation Safety Tips
School is nearly out, and that means it is time for vacation! Of course, that doesn’t mean it is time to throw caution to the wind. Here are some helpful summer vacation safety tips for parents and kids alike!
The Sun and Summer Vacation Safety
Above all, the summer months are hot. Sometimes, it’s scorching hot. Keeping this in mind, kids need to be properly protected. Summer vacation safety usually starts with sunscreen.
Kids are resilient, but they’ll still get a painful sunburn much more quickly than many people realize. This is especially true when the sun is most powerful. Typically, this is between 10am and 2pm. Be sure to properly apply, and then reapply, plenty of sunscreen lotion. It may be uncomfortable for the moment, by everyone will be thankful later.
Beyond this, the skin of very young children is even more sensitive than that of adults. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under six months of age should be kept out of the sun as much as possible. They can burn quite quickly, even compared to other kids. Instead, keep them indoors or in the shade. To learn more, read our dedicated blog post about sun safety.
Drink Plenty of Water
Dehydration is a serious worry in the heat. Part of summer vacation safety includes drinking plenty of water.
To start, dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it absorbs. In many cases, one loses water through a combination of sweat and urine. This can be an extremely dangerous condition. This can even occur during a day in the pool or ocean!
Without drinking enough water, a person can suffer serious health complications, or even death. Instead, play it safe and stay hydrated. Take frequent breaks from the heat, go inside, and grab a glass of refreshing water. To learn more about staying hydrated, read our dedicated blog post.
Swim Lessons Save Lives
Swimming lessons are helpful all year long, but they should be top of mind when discussing summer vacation safety. Drowning is the leading cause of death for very young children. All summer long, pools and beaches are present in many families’ lives.
When people know how to handle themselves in the water, they are more prepared to save lives and prevent tragedy if danger arises. Swimming lessons are available all year around for very young children as well.
Don’t Leave Kids in Hot Cars
Finally, here’s one final summer vacation safety tip for parents: do not ever leave children or pets in a hot car. Young kids are not able to regulate their body temperature as easily as adults. According to the AAP, a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s body. A boiling hot automobile can quickly become a deathtrap for a little one.
Instead, play it safe and never let a child stay in a hot car. Even if you are just running into a store for a few moments, why take the risk? Better to avoid the danger than cause a tragedy. To learn more about this topic, we’ve written a dedicated blog post about the dangers of a hot car.
These are just a few helpful summer vacation safety tips. For more info, check out the rest of our safety blog. Additionally, the CDC has some helpful tips available on its official website.