Summer is here! There’s nothing quite like the pitter-patter of little feet running along the shoreline with sand on their toes or splashing in the sparkling ocean tide, enjoying long days of fun in the sun. Making it a priority to keep children safe at the beach prevents beach day thrills from turning into a tragedy. Below, we have gathered some safety tips and resources to help you and the children you care for prevent drowning, sunburn, and dehydration.
Sun Awareness Prevents Sunburns
July is designated as UV Awareness month, which encourages parents and caregivers to focus on the dangers ultra-violet (UV) radiation poses and how to prevent it. Sun exposure awareness is critical to summer safety. By being proactive and establishing preventative routines, you can help protect children from the harmful risks that can lead to sun damage. Most notably, overexposure to unseen UV radiation from the sun can cause painful sunburn, reddening, and sometimes blisters that injure the skin. This type of wound increases the risk of skin cancer, especially for children. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Too much sun can also result in eye injuries, such as cataracts and pterygium (white film covering the white part of the eye that can extend to the cornea), and heat stroke.
Fortunately, avoiding harmful outcomes of excessive sun exposure is simple to achieve:
- Kids love wearing their favorite swimsuit or trunks to the beach, so be prepared to cover up by bringing extra clothes or layering clothes. Wearing sun-protective clothing and accessories such as hats, sunglasses, rash guards, or cover-ups will help prevent sun damage. Here’s a budget-friendly guide to sun protective clothing.
- Check the UV Index before going to the beach. This tool is intended to inform people of the strength of the sun’s rays. Created by the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ultraviolet index is a daily intensity measure of the UV radiation emitted from the sun. Keep in mind that the strongest sunlight is usually between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and that surfaces such as water or sand can reflect the rays of the sun and make it more dangerous.
- Plan your trip to the beach by seeking out locations where you know there will be shade, or bring a beach umbrella or another type of canopy.
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher to protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens that protect against UVA rays reduce risks associated with early skin aging, dark spots, and wrinkles. Alternatively, sunscreens that protect against UVB rays guard against sunburn and the development of skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends selecting a comprehensive water-resistant sunscreen for effective protection. Sunscreen should typically be applied thirty minutes before sun exposure and every two hours after that. Follow the directions on the sunscreen bottle or tube to ensure it is effective.
Staying Hydrated
When packing the cooler for a beach day, try to avoid or limit sugary juices, soda, or sweetened teas. While these drinks are tasty and contain water, they are very high in sugar, delivering a high calorie content without nutritional benefits. Therefore, they are not considered optimal for safeguarding against dehydration. Replacing sweet drinks with water and light refreshing foods on a hot, active day at the beach can help replenish lost fluids. Since water is best for staying hydrated, encourage frequent water intake throughout the day by making it fun and accessible. Try including high-water content fruits, such as watermelon, melon, cucumbers, strawberries, peaches, and oranges as snacks. A few other fun set-up ideas to encourage hydration are:
- Bring bright colored water bottles; they are fun to use and easy to spot on the sand
- Add fresh herbs and citrus to add flavor to the water. For example, mint leaves go well with lemons and other fruits
- Keep it cool with ice, and store it in a shady area if possible
- Set water-break timer reminders
To learn more about guidelines for how much water children should drink based on age, weight, activity level, and weather, or learn the signs of dehydration, visit children’s health.
Drowning Prevention
While enjoying beach day activities, it is important to pay attention on ocean water safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1-4. Other than car collisions, it is also the second leading cause of death for children and adolescents ages 5-14. In California alone, an average of 60 children a year become victims of drowning or near drowning related incidents.
Thankfully, drowning is preventable. It’s recommended that beachgoers take a multi-layered approach to reducing the risks for drowning. Keeping in mind that drowning can happen quickly and quietly, review the below list of risk factors and precautions to help you ensure you and your children have a safe day at the beach.
| Risk Factor | Precaution |
| Unable to swim or limited swimming abilities | Wear life jackets and swim with a buddy. Take swim lessons |
| Entering water head first | Always enter water feet first to check water level and search for obstacles, marine life, etc. |
| Interrupted supervision – if only one adult | Swim near lifeguard towers, stay within arm’s reach of children, never leave children unattended |
| Interrupted supervision – if multiple adults | Take turns watching the children in water, don’t drink alcohol, and learn CPR for emergencies |
| Distractions | Stay alert, put your phone away, keep a constant eye on children even while in conversation with others |
| Rip currents hazards | Teach kids and strong swimmers about rip currents – swim sideways (parallel) to shore until they can swim to the shoreline – Ocean Safety Rip Currents |
| Beach safety signs | Look for safety signs at beach entries, lifeguard stands, or access points/paths leading to the water. These may be written signs and/or colored flags Your Local County Health Agencies provides beach advisories as well |
| Weather conditions | Check news forecasts for strong winds, waves or inclement weather |
For more educational resources, please visit chs-ca.org.
Resources and References
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Sun Safety Tips:
https://www.aad.org/member/advocacy/promote/uv-awareness
https://enviro.epa.gov/envirofacts/uv/search
https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/hydration-tip-for-your-childs-health-infographic
https://www.epa.gov/beaches/what-affects-human-health-beach
https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/index.html
https://ochealthinfo.com/services-programs/wellness-safety-prevention/drowning-prevention
https://cslsa.org/content/Safety-Tips.html
California Ocean Safety and Rip Currents: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23792
Hoag Project Wipeout Beach Conditions and Safety: https://www.hoag.org/about-hoag/department-of-community-health/hoag-programs/project-wipeout/beach-safety/beach-conditions-water-quality-flags-and-weather/
California Department of Developmental Services Drowning Prevention Information in Multiple Languages: https://www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/drowning-prevention/
Summer Safety Topics for Parents: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/center/summer-center.html?ref=search
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23792