We all know that water can be dangerous and that we should avoid getting sunburnt but is that enough? By taking a few moments to consider the risks more fully – and how you can avoid them - you can make sure that your family can enjoy a fun day at the beach. Here are some of the key things to be aware of and what you can do to keep your family safe.
Watch children at all times.
As we all know, young children are curious and easily excited. The beach is one place where you will need to keep an eye on them at all times. It’s easy to fall asleep in the sun, get lost in a book, or indulge in a spot of people-watching and before you know it, your little one has wandered off. Stay aware of where your child is at all times, and if they’re old enough to understand, tell them that they can’t go past a certain point so that they always stay within sight.
Bathe and paddle only where there are lifeguards.
Many beaches in the UK have lifeguards in the summer months, and if lifeguards are present, you will also see flags with red and yellow stripes. These flags indicate the area that is patrolled by the lifeguards, so anywhere between the flags should be covered. There are other flags that you might see, for example a red flag means that it’s not safe to go in the water at all and an orange windsock means it is extremely windy conditions. The RNLI website is a great source of information to learn more about the different beach flags and signs you should be aware of.
Protect your children’s skin.
Our skin needs to be exposed to the sun so that our bodies can make vitamin D, but it’s very important to limit the exposure of skin to the sun to avoid the short term pain of sunburn and the longer term risks of skin cancer. It goes without saying that you should use sun cream on your children, and cover them up whenever possible. Slumbersac’s bath towel ponchos are ideal for this because they cover the shoulders, which are easily burnt, and they won’t fall off as your children run around - they can be used as a hooded children's beach towel and come in a range of fun animal designs so your little one can play on the beach as a dinosaur, unicorn or monkey! Another way of avoiding sunburn is to create an oasis of shade by using a parasol or similar, although keeping little ones in a small patch of shade when there’s a beach to explore is not easy!
It doesn’t take long to make sure that you and your family are beach safe - and remember, much of the advice above also applies to lakes, rivers, parks, and outdoor pools too! So have fun this summer, wherever you are, - and stay safe!
