With kids out of school and the weather getting nice, there’s no better place for your little ones to be than spending time outside. However, if you’re not careful, your kids could easily get too much sun exposure and wind up with things like sunburn, heat exhaustion, dry skin, and more.
To help you avoid these things and keep your little ones as safe as can be, here are three tips for protecting your kids from the summer sun.
Choose The Right Sunscreen
Most parents know that their kids need sunscreen if they’re going to be out in the sun for any extended period of time. However, what many parents don’t realize is just what sunscreen they should be using on their kids.
According to Susie Almaneih, a contributor to the Huffington Post, any sunscreen over SPF 50 isn’t going to be any more effective than an SPF 45 or 50, which can block about 98 percent of the sun UVB rays. So if you’re paying extra money for a stronger sunscreen, you might as well save yourself the cash and stick with something that’s SPF 30 to 45 and a basic broad spectrum sunscreen. Additionally, if you’re going to be in the water or sweating at all, make sure you get waterproof sunscreen and that you reapply every 90 minutes or so for the best protection. Otherwise, applying every two to three hours should be enough for your kids.
Cover Their Skin
While applying sunscreen is a great idea, what could work even better for protecting your kids’ skin from the sun is to keep the sun from getting to their skin in the first place.
To do this, you’ll want to try to keep your kids’ skin covered as much as possible when they’re outside. For the best results, Pam Myers, a contributor to ChildDevelopmentInfo.com, advises that you have your kids wear clothes that you can’t easily see your own hand through when you stick it under the fabric.
Get Them Sunglasses
It’s not only your kids’ skin that you need to be worried about when they’re out in the sun. The bright sun can also cause damage to their eyes if they don’t wear proper sunglasses.
Ideally, the CDC recommends that you get your kids sunglasses that have a strap around the back of the head to keep the glasses on and in place. Otherwise, your kids might have a hard time keeping their sunglasses on their eyes and giving them the protection that they so desperately need.
If you’re worried about how much sun exposure your kids are getting, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how you can best protect them.
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