As the weather warms up in the spring and summer seasons, our children look forward to hours of fun and playing outdoors. It’s only natural to want to run free in the sun and feel the grass under your feet. Skipping, hopping, flipping, running and playing many outdoor games–while the children have fun, parents turn their attention to ways to keep their play safe and accident-free.
Playing
Soft, shock-absorbent surfaces are safer than asphalt or concrete. Direct the children to play on the grass or put down rubber mats–an outdoor safety mat–to lessen the impact of a child falling onto the ground.
Wood chips are another alternative ground cover often used in public playgrounds, particularly around swings and slides. Spread wood chips to cover the ground in the area where your children will run and play for outdoor safety.
Let your children where sneakers or sandals with rubber soles to protect their feet from anything sharp or rough on the ground. Long pants and shirts with sleeves that cover their elbows will protect their knees and elbows during a fall.
Hazards
Once the children are free to play outdoors, everything becomes an adventurous exploration. This is why one of the first priorities for outdoor safety is to lock away any chemicals for your home, vehicle or lawn and garden care. If you have a shed or a closet that is away from your main living space, install shelves in it, place your chemicals on the shelves sorted by type and replace the door knob with one that has a locking mechanism.
Other hazards to address to keep your children safe during their play include removing sharp edges, rusty tools or metal, broken toys and outdoor furniture from the yard. Do not leave the children to play near a pool, pond or source of water without supervision. Protect their play area with a fence or barrier to prevent your children from running into the street.
Have your children wear a bicycle helmet, elbow pads and knee pads when riding their bicycle, even in your own backyard for outdoor safety. Clear their riding path of any hazards, such as garden tools, branches and toys that would make them fall.
Apply insect repellent treatments to your yard before your children play outside. While there are several commercial products for repelling mosquitoes and other bugs, a simple mixture of garlic, liquid detergent and water will keep these flying pets at bay for up to one week after each application.
Topical insect repellents will also prevent bug bites as your children play outdoors, and end their outdoor play about one hour before sunset.
Apply sunscreen to your child’s sensitive skin before playing outside. Let your children play in the early morning and then in the later afternoon to avoid the sun’s peak hours. As an outdoor safety measure, set your children’s play area under shade trees or assemble a canopy over their play area. Keep a container of water handy, such as a five-gallon jug with a spout, so that the children can grab a cup of water whenever they get thirsty.
