Sun Safe Planning

While promoting fitness through outdoor play, it is important to protect children from overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Sun safety involves actions to protect skin and eyes from overexposure to damaging UV rays.

Exposure to UV rays can occur from direct sunlight, reflected rays, sunlight through windows (including vehicle windows), and tanning beds. Sun safety also involves avoiding heat-related illness and dehydration.

UV rays that reach you through the atmosphere are UVA and UVB rays. Many people believe that only the UVB rays--those that are strongest during the summer months--are damaging. But both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage, and include burning, premature aging, and wrinkling.

UVA rays have less energy but penetrate deep into the skin. New research shows that UVA may be as damaging as UVB, and may lead to skin cancer, including life-threatening melanoma.

Avoid Peak Hours

As the sun moves higher in the sky, the sun’s rays become more intense and damaging to the skin and eyes. The “peak sun intensity hours” are from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Caregivers and teachers should plan outdoor schedules to avoid peak hours, especially 11 a.m.-2 p.m. If outdoor activities during these peak times are unavoidable, it is even more important to practice additional sun safety actions.

Stay in the Shade

Although all children should play indoors or in the shade during peak sun hours, it is a more serious issue for babies. Infants have sensitive skin and should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Dense shade is essential for babies.

Childcare programs should provide shaded areas large enough for all children to safely play and have fun when outdoors. Look for dense shade with very few patches of sunlight.

Buildings, picnic shelters, porches, and large, leafy trees provide dense shade. Portable shade structures such as umbrellas, tents, and tarps also are useful. Indirect sunlight reflected off of concrete, sand, and snow also can cause sunburn.

Hot playground equipment and seating can cause burns, so surfaces should be felt by adults before children use them. Portable toys should be available for play in the shade, especially if permanent equipment is located in the sun. Balls for rolling, music for dancing, bean bags for tossing, easels and paint supplies for creating, small spades for digging, and many other supplies can facilitate fun in the shade.

Wear Cover-up Clothing

Clothing provides a physical sun block that does not wash or wear off. Encourage families to dress children in clothing that covers more skin.

Long- or short-sleeved shirts provide more sun protection than tank tops. Capris or long pants protect better than shorts. Some early care and education programs keep clothing for children’s use as needed.

Wear a Hat

Hats can shade the face, head, neck, and ears. Hats with wide-brims (4”) and legionnaire-style hats with a flap in the back provide the best protection. Each child should have his or her own hat---no sharing.

Hats should be washed at least weekly. Children may find it fun to wear hats, especially if caregivers model their own hats. Reinforcing hat wear can be done by including sun hats for the dolls in the housekeeping area and books with pictures that show people wearing hats for sun protection.

Wear UV Protective Sunglasses

Children should wear sunglasses labeled “100 percent UV protection” to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Whether provided by the program or by the parents, sunglasses should be lightweight and fit properly.

Lenses should be impact resistant; polycarbonate lenses are the safest for children. Sunglasses should not be attached to a tether worn around the neck. The sunglasses and attached tether could cause choking if the tether gets caught on a slide or play equipment.

UV radiation can damage the retina, the back part of the eyeball that collects light rays and transmits images to the brain. This is particularly significant for infants and children under the age of 10; their eyes are more sensitive to the UV radiation. Teach children to look away from both the sun and bright lights.

To bring attention to the importance of sunglasses, preschoolers may enjoy role-playing in a sunglasses store set up as a special learning center. Another idea is to encourage children to look in magazines for pictures of sunglasses and make a group collage by cutting out the pictures and gluing them to a large sheet of paper.

Apply Sunscreen

Sunscreen is the next line of defense against UV over-exposure. The purpose of sunscreen is to protect skin that is exposed to the sun’s rays. When using sunscreen, make sure to:

• Follow your state licensing requirements regarding application of sunscreen and parental permission.
• Choose sunscreen labeled SPF 30 or higher and labeled “multi-spectrum protection,” “broad-spectrum protection,” or “UVA/UVB protection.”
• Apply sunscreen about 20 minutes before exposure to the sun. Sunscreen does not provide all day protection; it should be reapplied every two hours or more frequently, if needed.
• Avoid use of combination sunscreen and DEET (insect repellent) products because sunscreen should be reapplied more often than insect repellent.

Infants should not be exposed to direct sunlight. However, if sun exposure is unavoidable, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy states it is safe to use sunscreen on small areas of skin (i.e., face or back of hand) of infants less than six months of age. It is recommended that infant caregivers require written authorization from the child’s family and physician.

Protect Lips

Lips do not tan, but they can burn! Regularly applying lip balm with SPF 15 or higher not only helps prevent burns, but also helps prevent dry, cracked lips or chapped lips. Provide individually labeled lip balm for each child--no sharing.

Make sure to supervise children when they are using lip balm, and store lip balms out of children’s reach. Applying lip balm allows children to practice fine motor skills, eye hand coordination if looking in a mirror when applying the balm, and a sun safety strategy.

Remember, UV rays can cause damage even on cloudy or cool days. As little as 10 minutes in the midday sun can result in painful burns for children. Sunburn in childhood can increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. Practice sun safety every day, all year long.

Connie Jo Smith, EdD, Assistant Professor
Consumer and Family Sciences, Western Kentucky University
and Charlotte Hendricks, HSD, Editor, Healthy Childcare

Resources

Sun Safety Alliance, EIC East, 1760 Reston Pkwy, Ste. 415, Reston, VA 20190; 703-481-1414; www.sunsafetyalliance.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sunwise Program, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (6205J); Washington, DC 20460; 202-343-9591; www.epa.gov/sunwise

Internet Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm, www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Sunsafety.htm, and www.aap.org/family/protectsun.htm

Child Health Online, www.childhealthonline.org

Seattle and King County Health Department, www.metrokc.gov/health/childcare/sunprotection.htm