How to Dress Your Kids for Fun in the Sun!!
How to Dress Your Kids for Fun in the Sun
Summer is the season to be outside. The kids are out of school, and hours of play outside are ahead of them each day. Ensuring their safety is essential, as is protection from the hot sun and its effects.
A sunburn is dangerous for anyone but, for a child, it can be even more damaging than for an adult. Limiting their time in the sun during the middle of the day is a good idea. So is limiting outdoor activity when the UV index is especially high, because protection against ultraviolet radiation is the best way of defense against skin damage from the sun.
Dressing Your Kids Appropriately
Aside from sunscreen, clothing with ultraviolet protection should be used so that your kids are protected everywhere from the damaging rays. The dyes used in the clothing disrupt the light before it hits the skin. For the best effects, choose bathing suits and swim shirts with an ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF, rating of 50 or higher.
For young toddlers and those in the earliest years of school, swimming trunks with UPF protection are available. There are even ones with built-in diapers that hold up in water. These come in many different designs that are fun, colorful, and exciting.
Standard bathing suits for boys and girls also contain UV protection. While cute and fashionable, these provide the same defense against sun damage. For the most benefits, choose well-made suits that don’t have straps that slip, and provide enough bottom coverage so your boy or girl can stay safe while in the water or playing in the sand.
Protective Clothing for Outside the Water
Even children wearing stylish eyeglasses and sunglasses can shape their personal style and obtain sun protection. Hats with UPF protection are available and very useful in keeping out the rays of the sun. A large-brimmed hat with adjustable straps is best, so a favorite hat is never lost, but these all come in cool colors and designs.
Wearing short sleeved t-shirts is a summer favorite for many. Despite a lack of arm coverage, material with UPF 50+ can offer adequate protection. Plus, the t-shirts out there with fun drawings, quotes, and logos can add to great summer outfits your child will cherish.
Other Protective Accessories
Sun blankets can keep your kids away from UV rays as well, and are comfortable and breathable as well so it’s not too hot underneath. The solar heat and rays can be particularly dangerous to infants and toddlers. If you must have them outside, use anything that can provide shade, from a blanket to an umbrella, so they don’t get a taste for sun damage too early in life.
Swim shoes keep your kids’ feet off the hot sand, offer traction against slipping, and support full movement with their breathability. They’re cool and colorful as well. Featuring a UPF 50+ rating, they can protect a child’s feet from sunlight in addition to many other things.
11 Comments
michele
I think I would always stress sunglasses… the UV rays not only burn your skin but greatly affect your eyes.. Sunglasses on all members of the family…
Kelly O
Great tips. I am a big fan of wide brimmed hats. That way I don’t have to apply sunscreen a zillion times to the face. Plus it covers the scalp/part-line which always gets burnt and is nearly impossible to use sunscreen on.
Deanna
This is good advice for people with children. It’s very important to limit your child’s time and exposure in the sun. I’m personally guilty of not taking care of myself when it comes to being in the sun. I’ve been trying to be better about it, and so far this summer, I’ve been doing a good job.
Kelly Kimmell
I just had skin cancer removed from my nose. Probably caused by sun exposure as a child. So, these are some great tips. I love the sun hats.
Jasmine
Hats are important, I think. Good informative tips. I liked the hat graphic. Reminds me of a hat i used to have.
Sarah L
I’m a big hat user and good shoes to keep my feet from burning. Never heard of a sun blanket.
CJ
When I was young I could be out all day under the hot sun and never get sunburn.. but on an overcast day in the summer, I would have terrible sunburn. Strange isn’t it? Just because the sun isn’t shining bright doesn’t mean the UV index is low… always protect yourself… 🙂
Rosie
These are good suggestions. It is harder to keep kids protected than adults, keep loads of sunscreen, and try to not stay out too long, plus all these other ideas. I make sun hats, you need them to be a little too big so they don’t fall off and give good coverage with a good sized brim, it can help quite a bit, too.
Kate Sarsfield
The invention of UV-protective clothing is absolutely marvellous, especially for children. Dad had skin cancer twice, once on his face & once on his head, probably from his time in the British Army when he was stationed in Egypt back in the ’50s.
Edye
I love using hats to protect my face from the sun (along with sunscreen!)
Tamra Phelps
Sounds like good advice to me. I don’t have kids, but I remember when my niece & nephews were a little younger & couldn’t really get themselves ready. It was an assembly line of clothes, sunscreen, shoes, lol.