Preschoolers love the sun, sand and surf. However, as a parent you don’t want your child’s trip to the beach or pool to be ruined by a bad sunburn. Before you set out to soak up summer’s rays with your preschooler consider taking the following steps:
Exposure: Limit your preschooler’s exposure to the midday sun. The hours of 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. are when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
Sunscreen: Never leave home without it. In addition, you might want to set up camp under a tree or in another shady area. You might also consider purchasing an umbrella or sunshade such as Eclipse’s Sunveil, which blocks 95% of the sun’s UVA/UVB rays. It can be attached to your child’s stroller with clips, and allows air to flow through.
Hat: Place a wide-brimmed hat on your preschooler to keep the sun out of his/her eyes.
Swimsuits: If you really want to cut down on sun exposure, then skip the cutesy two-piece suits for little girls and invest in a swim shirt that protects as much of your child’s skin as possible. There are similar versions for boys, which can be teamed up with traditional swim trunks. Also, you can place a swim shirt over a regular one-piece if you already bought your daughter swimwear for the season.
Additional tips: Remember to apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) at least 30 minutes before going outside, even on cloudy days. This is necessary to allow for the active ingredients in the sunscreen to work. Also, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after intense swimming or sweating.
Finally, pediatricians say it’s best to avoid combination sunscreen/insect repellent products if your child is going to spend more than a couple of hours running around outdoors. Doctors say while sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, insect repellent should not be continuously reapplied on children.