Outdoor Safety for Children

Keep your children safe in outdoor situations

• Playground Safety
• Pedestrian Safety
• Bicycle Safety
• Water Safety
• Beach Safety
• Sun Safety
• Lawn Mower/Riding Mower Safety
• Dog Bite Prevention
• Fireworks Safety
• Winter Safety
• Frostbite Prevention

Playground Safety

• Inspect playgrounds and make sure surfaces are safe, cushioned and free of trash or debris (broken glass), and equipment is secure.
• Make sure children wear properly fitted protective gear when practicing or playing a sport.
• Allow children to play only on age-appropriate equipment.
• Be cautious of loose strings on clothing that may get snagged on playground equipment and ropes or chains (like those used for swings) that may wrap around a child's neck and cause choking.
• Never leave children at play unsupervised, whether in the playground or your yard.

Pedestrian Safety

• Until your child knows how to cross the street safely, be sure he or she is supervised by an adult. Children under age 10 should not cross the street alone.
• Teach your child to look LEFT, RIGHT and LEFT again before crossing the street and to never run into the street without stopping and looking first.
• Do not let children cross the street in the middle of the block, especially between parked cars or from behind shrubs or bushes.
• Teach children to cross the street at marked crosswalks and intersections whenever possible and to obey all traffic signals.
• Teach children to always walk facing traffic.
• Teach children to be cautious of approaching cars. Although they might see the car, the driver might not see them!
• Keep children visible in inclement weather or when dark by dressing them in light-colored or retro-reflective clothing for maximum visibility.

Bicycle Safety

• Properly fitted helmets and protective gear should be worn at all times when cycling, skating, skateboarding or riding scooters.
• Pennsylvania law requires children under age 12 to wear a safety-approved bicycle helmet.
• Do not let children under age 9 ride in the street.
• Children should always ride on the right side of the road, with the flow of traffic.
• Children should always wear proper-fitting clothing that is brightly colored for better visibility and proper shoes for foot protection.
• Do not allow children to ride at dusk or night without proper supervision, reflectors, and front and rear lights.

How to Fit a Helmet

1. Place helmet level on the head. It should be snug and cover the forehead.
2. Adjust the side straps so the plastic "triglide" on the straps (which joins the straps together to form a V) is snug and positioned just below the earlobe.
3. Adjust the buckle strap or "chin strap" to be sure it is tight enough to prevent the helmet from moving,but allow enough room to fit a finger width between the chin strap and the chin.

Water Safety

• Always supervise children near water–pools, spas, rivers and streams, lakes, toilets, bathtubs and buckets. Your child can drown in as little as one inch of water.
• Children should always wear a life jacket or personal flotation device when on a boat or participating in water sports.
• Children should always swim with a friend while an adult is watching and follow the rules of the parents, the lifeguard and the pool where they are swimming.
• Feet first the first time. Teach children to never dive into unfamiliar water. Water may be shallower than it appears or there may be underwater objects that could cause serious injury.
• Swim in designated SWIM areas while obeying all rules for the area.
• Never allow children to swim during a thunderstorm or at night.
• If you own a pool make sure to:

• Never let children near a pool unattended. It only takes a few moments for an accident to happen.
• Never allow running or rough-housing in the pool area.
• Do not allow glass bottles or containers in the pool area.
• Remove the ladder from an above-ground pool when not in use.
• Install an alarm to alert you that someone is near the pool or in the water.
• Store pool toys and other items that might attract children out of sight and away from the area.
• Make sure your pool has built-in safety devices such as raised drain covers, multiple drains and safety vacuum release devices to help prevent entrapment.

Beach Safety

• Never allow children to swim without adult supervision even if they are good swimmers.
• Be aware of weather, surf and undertow conditions.
• Bring your children only to beaches that are patrolled by lifeguards.
• Feet first the first time. Teach children to never dive into unfamiliar water. Water may be shallower than it appears or there may be underwater objects that could cause serious injury.

Sun Safety

• Keep infants out of the sun as much as possible. Their skin is very sensitive to the sun and burns quickly.
• Make sure children wear sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater whenever playing outside, particularly in the hottest part of the day between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Light-skinned children with blue or green eyes and red or blonde hair have the least natural protection against the sun's burning rays. Use sunscreen and light clothing to protect them.
• Use waterproof sunscreens whenever possible. Read the label and check the expiration date. Products with a combination of PABA/benzophenone are the most effective.
• Sunscreen should not be applied to babies under the age of 6 months. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied after swimming, water play and after perspiring (playing games, etc.).
• Provide a shaded area if possible for children playing outside.

Lawn Mower/Riding Mower Safety

• Keep small children out of the mowing area, preferably indoors under the watchful eye of an adult other than the mower operator.
• Be alert and turn the mower off if a child enters the mowing area.
• Never ride with children! They may fall off and be seriously injured or could interfere with the safe operation of the mower.
• Before and when operating in reverse, look behind and down for small children.
• Never allow a child to operate a mower. It is recommended that a child should be at least age 12 to operate a push mower and age 14 for a riding mower.
• Use extra caution when approaching shrubs, corners and trees.

Dog Bite Prevention

• Children should never approach or reach out to a dog on the street or in someone's home without the owner's permission, even if your child knows the dog.
• Never let your child reach inside a car with a dog.
• Children should never be allowed to tease a dog or disturb a dog that is eating or playing with a toy.
• If a dog runs up to your child, have him or her stand still and have an adult assist. Running will only make the animal think that the child wants to play.
• If a dog knocks your child to the ground, teach him or her to "lie like a log" and cover his or her neck until the dog goes away.

Fireworks Safety

• More than 10,000 individuals are hurt each year by fireworks. Most of these injuries occur to children. Children can lose fingers, burn their eyes and lose their hearing because of fireworks. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is at a public display. Only professionals should handle and set off fireworks.
• Take your children to public fireworks displays conducted by professionals.
• Never purchase fireworks for private use. Sparklers, which are legal in Pennsylvania, burn as hot as 1,000° Fahrenheit and can burn children's clothing, hands and feet.
• Instruct and tell your children there are many hazards or dangers when touching or being near exploding fireworks.
• Instruct your children to never touch or pick up a firecracker that did not ignite. Instruct them to tell an adult to pour water over it. Most children lose their fingers by delayed ignition of the firecracker.
• Store fireworks the same as a gun–in a locked area, out of reach and sight.

Winter Safety

• When taking your child out to sled, remember to take along an appropriate sports-related helmet.
• Make sure an adult accompanies the children at all times.
• Make sure when sledding not to ride into streets, nearby roads, traffic, walls, trees, rivers, ponds or streams. There should be no rocky ledges, steep falls or water traps that could result in a cold dunking or high-speed, out-of-control ride.
• Never allow your child to hitch a ride from the back of a moving vehicle of any kind.
• Make sure your child is dressed in warm clothing with special attention to hands and feet. Boots and gloves should be made of material that will protect your child from cuts and scratches if he or she falls off the sled and tumbles onto ice.
• Plastic tubes, discs and flyers can be dangerously fast for small children. It's recommended to use wooden sleds that are able to be steered. They offer more control and travel slower.
• Teach your children to stop by dragging their feet or making a sharp turn. Discourage them from stopping a sled by steering into a snow bank. Snow can hide sharp rocks or branches. Teach your children to avoid danger by rolling off a sled that is out of control.
• Use the sled as directed–sitting in an upright position using the handholds versus lying down head first.

Frostbite Prevention

• Frostbite is always a danger when children play outside in the cold for long periods of time.
• Children can get frostbite faster than adults because they lose heat from their skin more quickly, and they may not want to leave their winter games to go inside and warm up.
• Dress your child in layers. Layer one: thermal underwear, cotton socks and mitten liners help keep moisture away from the body. Layer two: sweatsuits, pants and sweaters trap heat. Layer three: waterproof boots, pants, jackets, mittens and hats made from tightly woven material.
• The clothing should not be tight or restrict or limit movement.
• Make sure to check your children every half-hour. If they get wet, bring them inside and have them change into something dry before allowing them out to play again.
• If your child tells you that his or her fingers, toes, nose and ears are numb and these areas appear colorless, remove any wet clothes. Put any affected area in lukewarm water or put a damp, warm washcloth on the ears or nose until the numbness goes away.
• If your child comes in with cold, hard skin (skin will look waxy white, blue or yellowish), remove all wet clothing and change to warm, dry clothing.
• Do not rub skin
• Take your child to the nearest emergency department

This page last updated 10/5/10 09:48 AM