From teaching road safety tips and creating kid-friendly spaces, these guidelines can help your children enjoy outdoor activities safely without risking anything more serious than minor bruises and bumps.
Use the buddy system
Your children can Playtime independently at risky speeds if left to their own devices without supervision from you, however. Injured children may not be able to reach for help independently and require someone there as support to reach for assistance when injured. An extra set of eyes around can ensure they remain safe. A buddy to play with while also keeping an eye out can keep everyone safer!
Emphasize personal safety
Make sure that your children understand the importance of personal safety, particularly when riding bicycles or skating as well as playing sports. Make wearing helmets not optional but make it part of their everyday activities – knee and elbow pads as well as other gear can also provide invaluable protection. Teaching young children early on the value of safety gear – such as wearing a helmet – ensures they make better choices as they become more independent adults.
Have a plan
In case of an emergency, it’s essential that your home security plan includes provisions for older children who begin gaining independence. They should know what steps they need to take if injured or require any type of help or support – be that from friends, relatives, medical assistance or anyone else.
Use smart security as an extra pair of eyes
Parents quickly develop acute ears for distinguishing innocent from malicious child cries; having another pair of eyes when your children are outdoors could be invaluable. An outdoor security camera could not only protect your home but could be an invaluable way to ensure the safety of your children when outdoors; many cameras with smart technology can even be monitored from smartphones for real time monitoring, providing specific alerts while your kids play outside.
Remember road safety
Children need to learn about more than individual safety when they play outside. Children don’t always recognize all of the risks until taught by adults. Children who cycle and walk must know about traffic laws as well as how to follow traffic flows more smoothly – for instance following in the direction of traffic flow rather than fighting it! If your child needs to walk several blocks to reach either a court for basketball practice or playground playdate, accompany them for their first trial run by helping them navigate streets – crossing at crosswalks while looking both ways for cars on their journey – making sure they follow the right route!
Set up a kid-friendly zone
If your children enjoy playing outdoors, whether in their backyard or elsewhere, make sure they stay safe by eliminating potential dangers. Hot tubs and pools should be secured so as to protect against accidental or more serious injuries; playhouses should be regularly checked for nests of insects or snakes as well as any unwanted creatures (the exact list depends on where your live).
Check your yard for potential hazards such as dead branches of trees or poison ivy that has spread from neighbouring yards. If you own or plan to purchase an outdoor trampoline, or intend to do so soon, know how to level it effectively if your yard slopes.
Keep track of the kids
Un little freedom goes a long way towards providing mental and physical development benefits for your child, yet you cannot always be by their side. An age-appropriate tracking device could be one solution; this way you will always know where they are if they don’t check in themselves!
Remember medical considerations
If your child suffers from asthma or any other health conditions, enjoying outdoor activities may require taking extra steps before they’re ready for departure.
Make sure your children always have access to the medication they need when it comes to allergies such as bee bites. Practice administering inhalers so they know when and how they can take their medicine independently. If they require daily medications at certain times, set alarms so they know when it’s time to return home for more or create a system whereby your children can safely take their pills while out.
Encourage seasonal preparation
Children should stay hydrated during and after outdoor activities in hot temperatures, taking an hourly inventory to ensure that they remain properly hydrated – more frequently in summer months if necessary – to prevent dehydration symptoms and keep rehydration options such as Pedialyte close by in case mild cases of dehydration arise.
Children should wear layers of bright and warm clothing suitable for the temperature in your local area in winter; this allows them to remove or add layers depending on temperature fluctuations throughout the day, especially at dawn and dusk.
Set check-in timers
Children often lose track of time when playing outside, so to keep an eye on them and remind them that they need to check back in, set a timer or alarm on their phone or tracker and use an affordable smart speaker outside to remind them.
