BIG Summer Safety Tips List
The summer months are perfect to spend lots of time outside, but they come with their own dangers. We want to remind parents about the potential dangers so everyone can be prepared and have a good (but safe) time. Here is a big list of summertime safety tips.
- Always check both ways before crossing the street and walk, not run. Ideally children should cross with an adult. Do not run between parked cars in a parking lot.
- Diseases from ticks can be serious. Wear protective clothing when walking through the woods, like long pants and sleeves. Use tick repellent spray. Perform tick checks after walking through the woods.
- Wear a properly sized helmet whenever anyone is on any sort of wheels.
- Avoid the sun during peak hours: 10AM-3PM.
- If you spend hours outside, wear a brimmed hat and sunglasses. Put on plenty of sunscreen, especially for babies. Put it on 30 minutes before going out in the sun and every time you step out of the water.
- No one is drown-proof! Everyone should have a buddy when playing in the water. An adult with a baby does not count as a buddy; you need an additional person to watch for help.
- No swimming in the lake or ocean or public pool without a lifeguard.
- Remember children can drown in any water source, even backyard swimming pools, kiddie pools, ponds and streams.
- Swimmer’s is actually an infection you get from excess moisture hanging out in the ear. Dry the outer parts of the ear after water fun. If an infection occurs, see your doctor about some antibiotic drops.
- At summer picnics, food sitting out too long can spoil. Keep cold foods lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep a first aid kit nearby. It should include soap, Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads, clean cloths, cold pack, tweezers, Motrin or Tylenol, oral antihistamine, a thermometer, rubbing alcohol, Neosporin, and emergency contact information.
- Poison Ivy, Sumac and Oak aren’t any fun. If you come in contact with them, you can wash it off quickly and avoid a rash. Use hydrocortisone cream to fight rashes. Here’s how you can look out for them.
- Poison Ivy – 3 pointed and notched leaves per stem.
- Poison Oak – Similar to Ivy, but rounded tips.
- Poison Sumac – 6-12 leaves in pairs with a single leaf on the stem.
- Do not leave children unattended around hot appliances like grills.
- If burnt, apply cool water for 10 minutes. Do not pop any blisters. If the burn is dark and waxy (deep in the skin), seek medical attention.
- Floral patterned clothing attracts bees, as do open food and drink containers. If a bee lands on you, gently blow it away.
- Cover small children and babies with lightweight clothing and mosquito netting to keep bugs away.
- Choose bug repellents with 30% DEET (enough to be effective, but safe for kids), but not for babies under two months. Apply repellent once per day only.
- Treat bug bites with topical antihistamine to relieve the itch. Pull off any ticks with tweezers.
- Don’t let kids play where bugs gather, like stagnate ponds or gardens in bloom.
- Teach kids to swim. It might save their life! Take a CPR class so you might save someone else’s.
- All pools should be surrounded by fencing so children can’t get in.
- When you’re out in the water, everyone should be wearing a life jacket. In pools, small children (3 and under) should wear life jackets.
- Fireworks can burn if they aren’t handled properly, even sparklers. Attend professional displays rather than handling them yourself.
- Never ever leave infants alone in a parked car. They heat up faster than you think, even with cracked windows.
- Dress infants in loose, lightweight clothing, but keep their skin covered.
- Check to make sure all playground equipment is well-maintained and safe. Supervise children at all times whenever they are near a fall hazard like stairs or slides.
- Metal, rubber and plastic can become very hot in the summer sun and burn one’s skin.
- Never let kids walk around barefoot on pavement – it gets hotter than the air.
- Everyone needs to remember to drink regularly. Drink before you or your kids are thirsty. We lose fluids faster in the heat, so drink to compensate.
- Look out for heat exhaustion: symptoms are extreme thirst, fatigue, cramping, and dizziness. If a person doesn’t cool down, it can lead to heatstroke, which is deadly.
- If someone has heat exhaustion, put them in the shade and spray them with water. Ideally, get into air conditioning. Infants are especially vulnerable to heat exhaustion.
Written by Eva Frecea, CEO sigikid-usa
sigikid is a family owned company whose roots back more than 150 years. sigikid’s German parent company “H. Scharrer & Koch GmbH” was founded in 1856. In 1910, Theo Köhler, the great-grandfather of sigikid’s current owner, took over and introduced toys. When the next generation took over in 1968, the trademark sigikid was born. Eva handles business development in the Americas, creating plush, educational and organic toys.
At sigikid, we put all our focus on playing. Our products are designed to make children happier. To achieve this, we use the most wholesome and important ingredients available: quality and love. sigikid toys are classic, innovative, prestigious, durable, soothing and affordable. We're playfully different!
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