As summer arrives, most children are not in school for several months and parents and children want to have fun during the summer months. But as a family you also need to be aware of and follow important safety tips. Parents must frequently remind children about rules because they forget quickly, and can get into dangerous situations. The best time to teach children safety rules is before they are in a place with a lot of distractions.
Do Not Play in the Street
Children want to get outside in the summertime and often forget that streets are dangerous places to play. Instead of riding bicycles or playing ball in the street, show children where there are safer places for these activities such as sidewalks and playgrounds. It is especially important for a child to stay away from parked vehicles on the street or parking areas where they are difficult for drivers to see.
Never Eat Plants Growing Outside
Today, children don’t often know about poisonous plants that grow in the wild. The red berries hanging from a decorative shrub near a home or playground may look similar to raspberries, but are actually dangerous to consume. Toadstools growing on a lawn may look exactly like delicious mushrooms, but are life-threatening plants to eat. Teach your kids to never touch plants growing in the wild to avoid severe allergic skin reactions from poison oak or ivy.
Managing Swimming Pool Safety
No matter the size of a swimming pool, parents must use additional safety precautions with kids in the water. A child can drown in only a few inches of water inside a wading pool designed for toddlers. In-ground pools are also lethal when the items are drained and empty due to the risks of falls. Parent must make a firm rule their children are not permitted near pools without adult supervision. If you do go swimming at a beach or pool this summer, make sure the kids know how to swim and that there is a USA Management or aquatic management crew or lifeguards around.
Require Supervision on Playground Equipment
A child can get outside quickly to a local playground or backyard to enjoy playground equipment they assume is safe. However, there are dangers at playgrounds from each type of equipment. Teeter-totters are responsible for head injuries when a child falls because they are not holding on to its handle. Children can fall from swings on swing sets and break bones in arms or wrap the chains around their necks, causing strangulation. A young child can fall from a tall slide, leading to broken legs or head concussions. Make sure if your kids are young you supervise their play at playground and know the best safety rules to keep them safe.
Stay Away from Animals and Insects
Teach children to avoid insects and animals while outside to avoid stings and bites. Children should recognize and stay away from beehives and wasp nests to prevent painful stings that many people are seriously allergic to. Wild animals such as squirrels, skunks, and chipmunks occasionally have rabies, a lethal disease contracted from scratches and bites. Make sure children know they should wear socks and shoes to avoid infections such as Lyme disease from tick bites.
No Climbing Trees without Supervision
Every child loves climbing trees, but this activity is not safe without adult supervision. Many trees today are located near electrical power lines that can electrocute someone when touched. When a child climbs a tree with decayed or dead branches the items may snap, causing an injury or death. Any children standing beneath a tree that someone is climbing is also in a dangerous situation as branches fall.
In addition to staying away from insects, animals and trees, it is also necessary to remind children to stay away from strangers and never enter an unknown person’s home or vehicle. Unfortunately, summer is the time when many criminals know that children are often unsupervised at playgrounds, parks, and in their own backyards. Despite numerous rules to encourage safety outside in the summer, it is still possible for children to have fun. Just make sure they stay safe at the same time.