Taking care of your child’s skin in the summertime can require a little thought and effort. Children love playing outside as much as possible in the summertime and they should.
However, you need to work hard to protect them from sunburn and injury in order to ensure that the summer is long and fun.
Always Apply Sun Screen
Find a child friendly sunscreen and use it. Reapply as often and use as much as the directions say to use.
In most cases, you’ll need to apply an entire ounce of sunscreen every couple of hours if playing outside for a long time.
Applying just once and then letting the child play all day isn’t enough.
Cover a Lot of Skin
In addition to sunscreen, ensure that you cover as much of your child’s skin as possible with sunscreen-quality clothing most of the day after swimming, to avoid exposing more skin to the sun all day long.
Use Hair Sunscreen to Protect Their Scalp
Find spray sunscreen that is especially for the hair and apply to protect the scalp from getting dried out. The hair offers some protection to the summer sun but many children end up with sunburned scalps in the summertime.
Encourage Them to Wear Hats
Give your kids hats to wear outside during the summer. It will give them some shade as well as protect their scalp from being burned. Most kids like hats so it shouldn’t be a problem if you get them one that represents their favorite team or character.
Take a Break between 10am and 2pm
Those are the hours where the sun is hottest and most likely to cause damage. It’s also a great time for lunch and a nap. This is good advice for the parents, too.
Cool Down Their Showers and Baths
Instead of giving them hot baths after a long day in the sunshine, give them cooler baths to avoid more skin damage. Plus it will feel great and help them feel refreshed.
Drink Lots of Water
Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your child’s skin. Give them plenty of hydrating water to drink all throughout the day. Water requirements depend on the age and weight of the child.
Eat Lots of Fruit
Fruit is hydrating and a perfect snack to eat a lot of during the hot days of summer. Give them watermelon, and other types of melons for the very best results.
Children cannot make good choices for themselves regarding the summer sun or understand about skin care. But, as their parent you can guide them the right way from the beginning so that their skin is always cared for, comfortable, and remains undamaged for years to come.
Teaching your children these things now will pay off far into the future.
