Spring and summer are a perfect opportunity for families to get outside. Spending time at the park or playground is fun for kids and good for their development. Active outdoor play promotes cardiovascular health and gross motor skills in young children. Being outside is also shown to improve mood, increase focus, and reduce stress.
Staying safe during outdoor activities is just as important as creating opportunities to be outside. The hot weather during Texas summers can present health and safety risks for children. Parents and caregivers can protect kids by supervising outdoor play and ensuring they get adequate sun protection and hydration. Adults should also have a plan for responding if a child becomes ill or injured during outdoor activities.
1. Prepare Before You Go Outside
Parents know that planning ahead is key for any activity with children, and preparing for outdoor excursions is no exception. Adults can prevent accidents or injuries by taking a few simple steps to get ready.
Pack a Safety Kit
Make sure you have basic first aid supplies such as:
- Adhesive bandages
- Antiseptic wipes
- Tweezers (for splinters/ticks)
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Necessary medications like EpiPens or inhalers
Check Weather Conditions
Use a weather app or website to look up the expected temperature, UV index, and heat advisories. If weather conditions are extreme, adjust your plans to a different location or reschedule for another time.
Dress Kids Appropriately
Protect kids from the heat by dressing them in light, breathable clothing for heat and using broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect them from UV rays. Hats and sunglasses also offer sun protection. Children should wear closed-toed shoes on playgrounds and trails. People of all ages should always wear helmets while riding bikes or scooters.
Review Safety Rules Together
Talk to children about boundaries. Remind them to stay within sight, and make sure they know what to do if they get separated.
Know Where To Get Help
Save the nearest Next Level Urgent Care location in your phone for quick access to medical care if a child gets hurt while playing outside.
2. Keep an Adult Supervising at All Times
Adults should always supervise kids during outdoor activities. Parents and caregivers can coordinate so someone is always watching the kids and isn’t distracted by phones or conversations. In large groups, adults can take a “zone defense” approach, with each person taking responsibility for watching a portion of the children. Adults should be close enough to see and hear the kids.
3. Protect Kids From the Heat and Sun
The high heat and humidity of a Texas summer can pose a health risk to people of all ages, but children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness.
Children’s bodies can heat up in warm weather. Choosing the coolest times of day for outdoor activities will protect them from the worst of the day’s heat. Dressing them in light, loose clothing in breathable fabrics can reduce the risk of overheating.
Increased sweating can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, who may not recognize their own thirst. Adults should encourage children to take frequent breaks to sit in the shade and drink water.
Adults can help children apply broad-spectrum sunscreen for sun safety outdoors. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every 2 hours and after swimming.
4. Follow Necessary Water Safety Rules
Pools and water parks are fun destinations for families, but it’s critical to follow all water safety rules to prevent drowning. Drowning is a risk for any child, and it is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 through 4.
Drowning can happen quickly and silently. Children are usually unable to call for help when they are drowning because they are struggling to keep their mouths and airways free of water.
The American Red Cross advises using multiple water safety precautions:
- Teach children swimming and water survival skills.
- Inexperienced swimmers should wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
- Always swim in areas where a lifeguard is present.
- Adults should provide close supervision of all children.
- Fence off all pools and hot tubs to prevent unsupervised access.
Parents and caregivers can learn CPR as an added layer of protection against accidental drowning.
5. Prevent and Treat Common Outdoor Injuries
Minor injuries are a common occurrence during outdoor play. Parents and caregivers should learn basic first aid and injury prevention skills, such as:
- Cleaning and bandaging minor wounds like cuts and scrapes
- Knowing the signs of infection from minor injuries
- Treating insect bites and stings
- Identifying harmful plants like poison ivy, oak, and sumac, and knowing how to treat reactions
- Paying attention to Texas pollen levels to prevent spring and summer allergy attacks
If your children need more than basic first aid after an injury or allergic reaction sustained while playing outdoors, Next Level Urgent Care can help. Our skilled health care providers can suture wounds, perform x-rays, and treat allergic reactions on site for fast, effective care when you need it.
6. Establish Outside Rules and Teach Kids Safety Skills
Before going on any excursion, it’s best to remind kids of basic safety rules, such as:
- Staying away from certain plants
- Avoiding strangers
- Using the buddy system
- Looking both ways when crossing streets
- Following safety rules like wearing life jackets or bike helmets
Explain to children how they should listen to their bodies when they feel hungry, thirsty, tired, or hurt. They should come to an adult for food, water, rest, or care when they need it.
Prevent Injuries and Keep Your Family Safe Outdoors
Texas offers incredible outdoor opportunities for kids all year long. Outdoor play builds physical health, confidence, and social skills, and, most importantly, it’s fun!
Most safety risks from outdoor activities are manageable with planning and supervision. Minor bumps and scrapes may happen, but that’s a normal part of childhood. Modeling smart responses to injuries can help children build resilience so they can get back to having fun outside.
And if kids need more than a reassuring hug and a band-aid, Next Level Urgent Care is there to help. With locations in the Houston, San Antonio, and Austin areas, you can find a facility nearby when you need it. All Next Level Urgent Care clinics are open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Walk-ins are always welcome, or you can use the app to sign in online and skip the wait.?
