4 Safe Ways to Enjoy Outdoor Winter Activities
Playing and having adventures outside is a big part of childhood. It is how kids learn about the world around them and when winter comes, everything changes. The temperature drops, the ground freezes, and you find yourself walking in a winter wonderland. However, with this new wonder come dangers to kids’ health and so it is important to know how to protect them from winter’s icy grasp. There are several ways to stay safe when outside in the snow and have fun while protecting your child’s well-being. Here are some tips to avoid getting sick and chilled to the core while still enjoying all the outdoor activities winter has to offer.
Protect Your Skin
Young people need to build up their immune systems, especially when being outside in the cold. Freezing conditions, combined with wind, is a danger that can be prevented with the correct action. Keep their skin covered from frostbite by bundling them up in mittens, coats, and earmuffs. Even with bundling up for warmth, be sure to apply sunscreen to any exposed skin as the sun’s UV rays become more abundant during the winter season, due to less layers in the Ozone atmosphere.
Skate Safely On Ice
Ice skating is a lot of fun whether indoors or outside, but dangers lurk there also. If going outside to skate on any frozen water source, be sure to check the thickness in the ice and in several areas, stay off if there is open water, white or grey ice, and ask your local park ranger or authoritative officer if it is safe. To stop a head injury from happening, please remember to reach out and break your fall if you happen to slip. Wear a helmet for further protection, while it is recommended to wear wrist pads in order to grip the ice easier. This will also cushion a sprained wrist from the impact. To relieve a knee injury, make sure to put a cloth between the ice and your knee to avoid getting frostbite.
Have a Sledding Adventure
Another enjoyable winter activity is that of sledding. It is an experience for any to kid to want to feel the rush of adrenaline moving through your veins as you head down a snowy hill on a plastic board, inner tube, or classic wooden sled. However, there are some safety guidelines that kids should be aware of on a sled. Although it may be a lot of fun, be sure when going down any hill that your kids are wearing a helmet and heading down clear paths. Sledding can be a dangerous activity, as your kid can run straight into a tree or any other obstacle. Only one child should be on the sled at all times, and do not attach sleds to motorized vehicles that goes through snow. Serious injuries will happen if it is not kept simple.
Ski & Snowboard Smart
Skiing and snowboarding are two of the most popular winter activities performed and with that means a lot of safety protocols to follow. Before hitting the Bunny Slopes, it is highly important to have your child wear a helmet, goggles, and other protective gear. Children normally go about 30 miles an hour, but can hit a tree and suffer a serious head injury. A helmet takes on most of the blow, which will keep a little one's precious head safe while skiing or snowboarding.It is important that your kids are safe while still enjoying outdoor winter activities. If you have any questions regarding winter safety and how to keep your kids protected from the cold this season, contact us. We are here to treat winter accidents should they happen and help them stay safe whether in the snow or on the ice.
