How to Keep Your Kids Safe at the Beach?

Building sandcastles or diving into the waves, beach trips are endlessly entertaining for kids of all ages. Not only that: running, swimming and playing in the sand are excellent forms of exercise to stay in good physical shape - plus spending time near water has been shown to promote emotional well-being that lasts into adulthood!

Beach days can provide lasting memories, yet parents must remember safety is of utmost importance. Prep is key, including creating clear rules with your kids before ever setting foot onto the beach.

Provide Continuous Adult Supervision

Without children in tow, going to the beach allows for plenty of free time: reading or napping are ideal activities to pass the time while relaxing. With children though, constant supervision must always be maintained - even when your kids appear to be playing independently.

Although beaches tend to be safe environments for children, they must always be watched closely around the water. When travelling as part of a group, be sure that one adult has been designated specifically as responsible for keeping an eye out on all children at all times.

Make sure that your children remain within close range when near water. Accidents can arise in an instantaneous moment.

Be mindful of any signs or flags indicating hazardous conditions, dangerous marine life presence or swimming restrictions.

Lifeguards can be an essential safety resource, yet should not replace you as their primary supervisor of children in or near water. An additional pair of eyes watching over children near water provides peace of mind.

Prioritize Water Safety

To keep children safe in the ocean environment, it is vitally important that clear rules be established between you and your kids about approaching the sea.

Young children must always wear a personal flotation device. Older kids who can swim may not need one but still require regular adult supervision while near water.

When purchasing a life jacket for your child, ensure it meets U.S. Coast Guard specifications and periodically test for fit at the beach - it should fit snugly and securely when fastened, yet allow gentle pulling without rising above your kids’ chin.

Teach your children to face the ocean so they can anticipate incoming waves, decreasing their risk of being knocked over. As they develop their swimming abilities further, teach them that ocean currents and waves behave differently from pool or lake waters.

Encourage children to swim in pairs so they always have someone nearby who can assist or warn of potential trouble spots if needed. Establish clear limits as to the depth of water where your child can access so you can quickly respond if any emergency arises.

Prep them on what to do if caught in a rip current - these fast-moving water channels that pull swimmers quickly away can create panic in swimmers. If caught, swimmers should swim parallel to shore or float to conserve energy as swimming directly against it can result in exhaustion and make staying afloat more challenging.

Stay Alert Around Sand

Sandcastles provide children with hours of creative playtime but it is still wise for you to remain aware while they engage with this activity. When digging holes for them to play in, keep a close watch - holes may collapse at any moment, leading to trapped individuals being injured or worse.

As a rule of thumb, holes should never exceed knee depth for children to safely explore a given site or activity. Remind kids to fill any holes before leaving so other visitors do not trip or fall while visiting.

Baby and toddler care should always include safeguarding against eating too much sand as this poses a potential choking hazard, particularly if there are shells or rocks mixed in. Younger kids often put everything they find into their mouths, so bringing along beach toys to keep them entertained and supervising closely as they crawl or toddle are keys for safe development.

If your child has sensitive skin, sand can often result in rashes. After spending time at the beach, find an accessible shower or hose and rinse away any residual sand before changing out of their swimwear to prevent irritation or discomfort.

Reapply Sunscreen Frequently

A sunburn can ruin an enjoyable beach visit, so bring plenty of broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen protection (for optimal UVA and UVB rays protection) along with you on every outing to the shoreline.

Sunscreen should be applied by those aged six months and above and reapplied every two hours, particularly after swimming or sweating heavily.

Set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to reapply after each application - make sure all areas such as ears or the soles of feet are included as often-forgotten places!

Pay extra special care with the skin around swimsuit or shirt edges, which may prove challenging to reach with sunscreen application. Make sure that sunscreen is applied along and just below these edges of clothing to maximize protection.

Babies younger than six months should avoid direct sun exposure by staying shaded underneath an umbrella or tent and dressing in lightweight long-sleeved clothing with UV blocking properties and sun hats for extra coverage.

If a sunburn occurs on a child, aloe vera gel should provide soothing relief to their skin.

Prevent Heat-Related Illness

Although basking in the sun may tempt us to bask for too long, too much time outdoors in hot conditions may result in sunburns and heat-related illnesses.

To mitigate risks and stay safe at the beach, try visiting early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Avoid outside peak sun hours between 10 am and 2 pm.

Even during less extreme parts of the day it's still wise to take precautions against heat exposure. Sand can quickly heat up, so wear flip flops or sandals if possible. Bring an umbrella or tent for shade purposes and set out towels or blankets in this shaded space, so kids can rest as much as needed.

Keep everyone hydrated when spending time outdoors by providing all family members with individual water bottles and encouraging children to sip often during the day, even before feeling thirsty. At minimum, have everyone take a brief water break when getting sunscreen reapplication.