With its beautiful, long days and many hours of sunshine, summer makes us happy. The warm rays of the sun not only increase our well-being, they also play an enormous role in photosynthesis and make life on our planet possible in the first place. However, it is important to be aware of the dangers of ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) so that we can consciously protect ourselves from it. This is especially crucial for children. In this article you will learn about the dangers for your children’s sensitive skin and how you can protect them so that they can enjoy the summer carefree.
Why is sun protection important for children?
There are several reasons why sun protection for children is so important. Children’s skin is extremely sensitive because children are still developing and their skin is therefore different from that of adults. It is more permeable, thinner and does not contain as much melanin, which at least partially protects our skin from UV rays. To ensure children’s health and well-being, sunscreens and similar skin care products should not be skimped on.
What are the risks for the sensitive skin of children?
The dangers are many and varied. A sunburn not only triggers pain, inflammation and redness, but can also cause long-term skin damage. In addition, multiple sunburns can increase the risk of skin cancer in adulthood and lead to premature skin ageing. In order to avoid sunburns, it is therefore important to use sun protection, especially for children.
In addition, children’s skin dries out more quickly, which often leads to flaky skin, among other things. To maintain the skin’s moisture level, it is therefore advisable to use a moisturising sun cream or skin care products. In addition, it is also important that children drink enough water – especially if temperatures are high. Moisturising skin care products nourish children’s delicate skin from the outside, while enough water ensures its fluid balance from the inside.
The right sun cream for children
Finding the right sunscreen for children is not easy, as the selection is huge. However, there are some things you should consider when buying sunscreen. Ideally, look for a moisturising and water-repellent sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 50 (SPF 30 being the absolute minimum for children). Avoid fragrances and preservatives. For this reason, it is advisable to get a sunscreen that is made especially for children.
Tips for applying sunscreen with your children
Once you have found the right sunscreen for your children, it’s time to apply it. This often requires patience! It can also help to talk to your children about it.
To avoid a smeary mess, some children may need a playful approach to applying sunscreen. Make it a game, the more exciting the better. Pretend it’s children’s make-up and paint animals with the sunscreen, for example, and let your child guess what it is. You can also distract your child. Tell a funny and exciting story or let your child’s favourite song play in the background.
Most importantly, be a role model for the little ones and put on sunscreen too!
Protection through appropriate clothing
The right clothing is just as important as the right sunscreen. Clothing should be lightweight but long-sleeved to protect the skin as much as possible. Densely woven textiles such as polyester work well because they are air-permeable, but at the same time offer better protection than thinner materials.
It is equally important to know that black or dark clothes provide better protection from the sun than white or light-coloured clothes. This is because the infrared part of the UV radiation is reflected, although the black colour absorbs the radiation and thus actually heats up.
Caps and sun hats are ideal to protect the head, ears and face. Sunglasses with UV protection are also an absolute must in summer. Nowadays, it is also possible to buy UV-protective clothing for babies and children to protect them from strong sunlight.
Learning about sun protection in a playful way
If you want to discuss the topic of sun protection with your children in a playful way to teach them how to handle the sun properly, you can look at and download the following materials:
- Being safe in the sun (activity)
- Being safe in the sun (vocabulary collection)
What do you think?