Fun Activities

Summer Safety

Water Safety

On a hot summer day nothing feels better than a refreshing dip in the pool. Swimming and splashing in the water is great exercise and a lot of fun for kids. Now is the time to make sure they understand these basic water safety rules.

Pool Rules for Kids:

Always swim with a buddy while an adult is watching.
Use plastic or paper cups by the pool—no glass.
Don't chew gum or eat while swimming.
No pushing others into the pool or holding them underwater.
Don't use inflatable toys or mattresses in deep water. They could tip, putting you in water over your head.
At the first sign of a lightning storm get out of the water and into shelter!
Obey No Diving signs; dive only from the end of a diving board.

One of the best ways to equip young people for the water is to teach them how to swim. If you have good swimming skills, this would be an excellent activity that you can do with a child. Also, The American Red Cross and the YMCA offer swimming classes for people of any skill level. Check out your local pools or schools—they may also offer swimming classes.

Sun Safety

Summer is a great time to enjoy fun activities in the fresh air and sunshine. However, it's important to protect skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. Too much sun can damage skin, and sunburns early in life can increase the risk of skin cancer later in life. Follow these guidelines for yourself and help young people to protect the skin they're in!

Wear Sunscreen: To protect skin from the sun's harmful UV rays, use sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 every day. Use sunscreen is waterproof when you're at the pool or beach and reapply often.
Cover Up: Wear protective clothing and hats when you're out in the sun. Loose-fitting clothing made from tightly woven fabric works best.
Seek Shade: When the sun's really glaring, especially between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., cover up! Move your beach blanket under an umbrella or go inside, pour yourself a big glass of cool water, and take a break from the sun.
Protect Your Eyes: Wear sunglasses with UV protection. They'll protect your eyes and the delicate skin around them (and who wants wrinkles?!). Stay away from mirrored sunglasses—they intensify the sun's rays.
Protect Your Lips: Lips can never tan, but they easily burn. Wear a protective lip balm everyday and reapply it often. Don't lick your lips—it magnifies the sun's rays.

Heat Safety
During a heat wave, it's important to keep heat safety in mind to protect yourself and young people. The American Red Cross recommends knowing the facts about summer heat and practicing heat survival tips.

Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Stay indoors as much as possible. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember, electric fans do not cool the air but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools your body.
Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool and to prevent heat cramps. Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid drinks with caffeine in them.
Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increases your body's metabolism.

Overheating Warning Signs & What To Do

Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion and usually involve the abdominal muscles or legs. Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. Lightly stretch the affected muscle. Give the person a half-glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids with caffeine in them, as they can make conditions worse.
Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a warm, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing a decrease in blood flow to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim's condition will worsen. Warning signs include cool, moist, pale, or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will keep rising and the person may suffer heatstroke. Get the person out of the heat and into a cooler place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. If the person is conscious, give him or her cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Give a half-glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids that contain caffeine. Let the person rest in a comfortable position, and watch carefully for changes in his or her condition.
Heatstroke: Also called sunstroke, heatstroke is when a person's temperature control system, which produces sweat to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. It is life-threatening, so call 911 at the first sign of the following symptoms: hot, flushed skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high—sometimes as high as 105° F. If the person was sweating from heavy exercise, their skin may be wet; otherwise, it will feel dry. Immerse the person in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the person refuses water, is vomiting, or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give him or her anything to eat or drink.