It’s important to protect children from the sun to prevent immediate issues like sunburn and heatstroke, and long-term risks like skin cancer. Their skin is thinner and more sensitive, making them more vulnerable to sun damage. Protecting children builds good sun safety habits early, which helps reduce their future risk of developing melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, later in life.  Here are some tips to help keep your children safe and protected.

• Stay hydrated – in the hot weather it is important to drink plenty of water. If you can use a transparent bottle you can see how much your child is drinking.
• Avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm when the rays are the strongest.
• Dress for the weather – if possible, wear loose fitting cotton clothing to stay cooler. Wear a hat and sunglasses if needing to go out in the sun.
• Keep your house cool – close blinds and curtains to keep the sun out.
• Protect your skin – apply sunscreen generously and reapply frequently, especially if swimming. The NHS recommends that sunscreen should have a sun protective factor (SPF) of at least 30.

Helpful websites and support

• NHS sunscreen and sun safety – https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/
• Mini First Aid – keeping the kids safe in the sun – https://www.minifirstaid.co.uk/blog/keeping-the-kids-safe-in-the-sun
• Immunisation schedules can be found on the NHS website – NHS vaccinations and when to have them
• Save the Children – 10 tips for keeping children safe during a heatwave – https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/blogs/2022/10-tips-for-keeping-children-safe-during-a-heatwave
• Teenage Cancer Trust – How to stay safe in the sun – https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/information-about-cancer/how-to-stay-safe-in-the-sun

Useful videos