safety in the sun

Sun care is essential when holidaying with your tot. Some tots are susceptible to sun-damage after only 5 minutes. It is therefore very important that the best care is taken when your tot is enjoying life in the sun. Why not follow the Australian 3 Ss rule - slip, slap, slop- slip on a hat, slap on a shirt and slop on the sun-lotion.

The sun’s rays are at their strongest between 11am and 3pm. Sun hats are a must for tots on their travels. Look for a hat with a wide brim, as this will shade your tot’s shoulders as well as offering protection for their head!

Babies under the age of 1 should ideally be kept in the shade at all times. This will protect their delicate skin as well as keep them cool!

cover up

As well as sun hats, tots in the sunshine should wear T-shirts. Loose-fitting cotton T-shirts are the best as they protect the shoulders as well as feeling light on your tot and keeping them cool. Sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB rays are also very important to the protection of your tot’s eyes, as well as making them the coolest kid in town!

preventing sunburn

Apart from your tot being kitted out in appropriate skin-protecting clothes it is essential that sun-lotion is worn at all times of the day when your tot is outside. Tots can burn even in cloudy weather or on a cool day, so regular application of lotion is a must.

Apply sun-lotion at least 20 minutes prior to sun exposure. This will give the lotion a chance to work into your tot’s skin and will protect from the moment they teeter outside. The lotion should then be re-applied at least every 2 hours and if your tot has been splashing about in water (even if waterproof)!

Always use a sun-lotion specially formulated for toddlers, they tend to be minimum factor 30. If you are using a new lotion a patch test is a sensible way of determining if your tot will have any adverse reaction to the lotion.