Spotlight: Keep Your Children Safe on Summer Outings

Hi everyone!

It’s always a great idea to take your children out for fresh air and outdoor play, as these teach them important life lessons like resilience, creativity, and independence. All that heat, sun, running, and climbing can seem dangerous from a parent's point of view, but with proper care, you can keep your children safe outside without hampering their learning or holding them back. Here are a few safety tips you can try on your next outing:

At Playgrounds

US News reports that some 200,000 children aged 14 or under are treated in emergency departments across the country for playground-related injuries annually. Although this is an alarming number that has discouraged plenty of parents from bringing their children to playgrounds, these types of injuries can be prevented by ensuring you’re familiar with your community playground.

Be sure to supervise your toddlers when they play on monkey bars, playground gyms, and swings, as injuries are common on these types of playground equipment. Choose playgrounds that have shock-absorbing materials such as hardwood mulch or sand. Only let your children use equipment appropriate for their age, and always check play areas for tripping hazards like rocks and tree stumps.

On Public Transport

Traveling with young ones can be challenging, especially if you've got more than one to transport. Working mother ‘Commuter Kate’ shares that even getting out of the house with kids can be a struggle. The key is to plan ahead, especially since children can be very unpredictable.

If you’re traveling with a stroller, review accessible routes that have step-free access from street-level to trains so you don’t need to do any heavy lifting. Consider investing in a lightweight stroller, which is perfect for one baby. For two children, a side-by-side stroller is generally easier to navigate than a tandem. iCandy has a list of side-by-side double strollers that provide parents with numerous advantages compared to owning a tandem stroller. Your double stroller should be able to roll on a variety of terrains so you don’t get stuck on uneven floors or roads.

At Amusement and Nature Parks

Theme parks are a great place to have fun with your children, but they’re also dangerous if you’re not careful. Very Well Family recommends never ignoring the height and weight guidelines of certain attractions, the same way you wouldn’t ignore the age guidelines when selecting toys and food for your children. You also need to remind your children to keep their hands and feet safely inside each amusement park ride.

And if you plan a trip to a nature park with your kids, be sure to remember our Common Sense Mom warning against covering your baby's stroller with a blanket to block out the sun. It’s important to note that creating a sort of tent inside your baby’s stroller cuts off air circulation—not to mention that it also heats up the inside of the stroller. If you need to shade your kids from the heat of the sun, attach a mini fan on their stroller or put them in a lightweight hat. Don’t forget to apply a thin layer of mosquito repellent on their arms and legs to prevent any mosquito bites.

That's it for this week! Like what you're reading? Help keep the computer screen on by following us on Facebook or Instagram and signing up for our weekly emails at BabyGotChat.com. And as always, check our website for events and our easy-to-navigate chart of every weekly kids library program in Westchester. Just be sure to check the date you wish to attend against the library's calendar, because many programs are off for the summer. 

See you next time!

Andrea