Safety Rules for Going to the Beach with Children

When going to the beach with children, there are a number of measures to consider. In practice, the aim is to eliminate risks and provide maximum safety for the little ones. From the flags at the beach to lifeguards and hydration, there are some indispensable factors to keep in mind.

In the summer season, and on vacation in general, we all like to enjoy the beach with our little ones. It’s the ideal place to spend a fun day with the family and to relax. A day at the beach is an excellent way to get away from our usual environment and and take advantage of summer vacation. However, going to the beach with children requires special care and extreme precaution to reduce the risk of accidents. In the article below, we’ll tell you about the safety measures you need to keep in mind.

If your children know how to swim, then you’ll have one less thing to worry about. But, no matter how old your children are or how well they swim, you need to keep your eyes on them at all times. One minor oversight is enough to cause a serious accident. Keep reading to discover more.

Safety rules for going to the beach with children

Protecting children from the sun

When we go to the beach with our children, it’s essential to protect them from the sun. Otherwise, they could get sunstroke or suffer from sunburn. And the last thing you want to do is spoil your fun day by needing to go to the emergency room.

It’s advisable to avoid the hours of greatest sun radiation, that is, between 12 and 4 p.m. If possible, plan other types of activities during those hours that don’t involve sun exposure.

Children under one year of age should remain as long as possible in the shade, either under an umbrella or another shaded place. Children and adults should use sunscreen with an appropriate SPF for their skin type. What’s more, it’s important to reapply sunscreen every two hours.

Hydration is very important

When children are having fun at the beach, it’s very common for them to forget to drink. And, with the heat, it’s very easy for them to become dehydrated. Even more so if they’re doing something that involves intense exercise, such as running or swimming. So, you need to be very careful with these issues.

That’s why we must make our little ones drink water frequently. It’s important to have a container that allows us to keep the water cold, as this will help lower their body temperature and cool them down.

Never lose sight of children when going to the beach

When we go to the beach with our children, we must watch them at all times. We can’t neglect them for a single moment. Even if they already know how to swim, or if they’re out of the water, they need constant adult supervision. If the children are small and don’t know how to swim, then then they need an adult with them any time they’re in the water.

When playing on the beach, children can get lost – in fact, it happens very easily. In addition to keeping an eye on them, a good precautionary measure is for them to wear a bracelet with the parents’ name and phone number on it.

Many times, lifeguards can provide one of these control devices. If you don’t have a bracelet, the easiest way is to write your phone number on your child’s skin.

Life jackets

Children shouldn’t go into the water alone. In addition to teaching them how to swim as soon as possible, children need to use a life jacket if they don’t yet know how to swim or don’t swim well.

Beware of other materials that don’t fit well and may leak. Inflatable mats or floaties aren’t safe and are actually dangerous because they give a false sense of security. It’s better to avoid them.

Follow the official recommendations

The lifeguards and any other authority that’s responsible for safety on the beach will issue a series of recommendations and regulations. We must follow those guidelines and teach our children to do the same. This way, we’ll avoid possible drownings and accidents. If there is a red flag, bathing is totally forbidden. This flag color indicates that the sea’s rough and there’s a great risk of drowning.

A yellow flag indicates that you need to be careful. You can swim, but you should avoid going too far from the shore. This is generally due to the presence of currents or strong waves. This color purple is used to warn about the presence of jellyfish or other pests in the water.

Finally, a green flag is the one we all want to see. The authorities are telling us that there’s no danger and that the sea is in ideal conditions for swimming. This is the most suitable situation for children to safely enjoy a day at the beach.