A beach day is a great way to spend some family time outdoors that the whole family will love. There are plenty of activities for any age, and there is something about being at the beach that just makes you smile on the inside. But the beach can also be a dangerous place for children, and needs to be treated with caution and a thought-out plan. Here are a few ways to keep your kids safe and healthy at the beach!
Keep an Eye on Them
There is simply no way around it, keeping an eye on your kids is a must no matter where you are and the beach is no exception. Whether your kids are in the water or not, you need to know where they are at all times. The water can be a very powerful and very dangerous place, and it should be treated with respect as a dangerous place. The water can be a very fun place as well and should be enjoyed, so don’t let this advice inspire you to keep your kids out of the water entirely. But knowing where your kids are is essential to a safe and fun day out.
Use Sunscreen
The sun is a powerful thing, and while you should enjoy your time out enjoying the sunshine, you should always be wearing sunscreen to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Make sure that you are using a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF to provide yourself proper protection. You should also ensure that you and your family are reapplying every two hours, or every time you come back out of the water. And make sure to let your reapplied sunscreen absorb into your skin for thirty minutes before getting back in the water, to make sure it doesn’t just wash right off.
Keep Them Hydrated
Any time you are out in the sun all day doing physical activity, keeping your kids hydrated should be a top priority. Staying properly hydrated will help prevent heat exhaustion and give your kids the energy they need to enjoy their beach day. Pack a cooler with plenty of water bottles, or invest in a few large refillable water bottles for your family so that you always have some fresh water to drink. Make sure your children are drinking water every time they leave the water and dry off. A little bit of water all day will go a long way towards keeping everyone feeling good.
Bring Some Shade
You should bring something you can use to provide shade at the beach with you. Whether you bring an umbrella or a canopy of some sort, having a home base on the beach where your family can escape from the direct rays of the sun will help keep everyone safe. Time under a shade canopy reduces risk of skin cancer from sun exposure, after all. You should encourage your kids to take frequent breaks in the shade to avoid heat exhaustion or even heat stroke as well.
Bring Snacks
In the same way being dehydrated can leave you at risk at the beach, so can being underfed. Make sure that you have plenty of nutritious snacks with you, especially if you are planning on being at the beach for more than two or three hours, so that your kids can recharge their energy with food. Consider bringing some veggies to dip in ranch or hummus, trail mixes, protein bars, and other easy to pack, easy to snack options that your kids will love. Make sure your kids are eating enough to stay energized, but not so much that they become sluggish or suffer stomach issues in the water.
Set Up Camp Near a Lifeguard
The lifeguards are there to keep an eye on everyone and ensure safety, so it makes perfect sense that setting up near them would be a good idea to keep your family safe at the beach. A lifeguard has an elevated view and is trained on water dangers, making them much more capable of responding to all sorts of emergencies and accidents that might happen. But don’t be mistaken—it is not the lifeguard’s job to babysit your children, and being near a lifeguard does not absolve you of the responsibility of keeping an eye on your children. It does, however, give you additional piece of mind that in the event help is needed, help is nearby.
Use Baby Powder to Remove Sand
This is a great tip that not so many people know about when it comes to getting clean after a beach day. Sand gets everywhere! No matter how well you rinse off or try to get clean there is always a little sand left behind. But if you bring a little baby powder, all you have to do is sprinkle some on your skin wherever you feel sand, and brush it off. It’s as simple as that, and while it may sound crazy, It does actually work. This will help you get clean and clear before leaving the beach, and avoid rashes for your kids.
Bring a First Aid Kit
A safety tip that is essential in almost any scenario is to bring a fully stocked first aid kit with you to the beach. This will allow you to take care of any minor injuries, trips, falls, or scrapes that happen to your kids while at the beach. Your first aid kit should include band-aids, bandages, gauze, scissors, painkillers, tweezers, and anything else you might need with you that is specific to you and your family. You can also buy fully stocked first aid kits online or in most outdoors stores.
A beach day is a great way to spend quality time outdoors with your kids. Almost everyone loves the beach, as it’s a great place to get active or relax. But the beach can also be dangerous, which is why it is essential to take care of your family, keeping your kids safe and healthy. Follow these tips, and you’re in for a fun and fabulous day at the beach!
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