The sun can be fun, but it can also be dangerous if the right precautions aren’t taken. We’ve rounded up some top tips for child care professionals who are committed to sun safety in Melbourne this summer.
Children are far more susceptible to sunburn and other sun-related ailments, because they have more sensitive skin and tend to get carried away playing. While adults have learnt to be vigilant in the sun and tend to look for shade, children may not.
These tips will help make sure you have thought of everything when it comes to sun safety:
Sun safety in Melbourne summer
- Check the expiry of your suncream.
- Aim for being out in the sun before 10am and after 4pm when UV is lowest.
- Young babies should avoid direct sun as their skin can burn quickly.
- Sunscreen takes a little time to absorb, so wait around 30 minutes before going out in the sun.
- Careful of hot surfaces in sunny weather — the ground, sand, play equipment and seats can be very hot.
- Keep an eye on UV levels before making plans in the sun, as it doesn’t have to be a sunny day for sun damage to occur.
- Always seek shade where possible.
- Create your own shade when you can’t access any.
- Patch test your sunscreen on children to make sure they don’t have a reaction or allergy.
- Slip slop slap is always a must! Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat.
- Protect eyes with sunglasses.
- Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen regularly, especially after water play.
- Apply sunscreen thoroughly, making sure you get ears, feet and so on.
- Don’t forget there is nothing healthy about having a suntan and you should role model sun safety to children.
- Make sure your sunscreen is a high SPF to give the highest protection in the sun.
Make sure you have shared this information with your family and friends.
