When it’s time to pack up the whole family and head to the beach, you’re probably only thinking about soaking up the sun and how fun the experience will be.
However, going to the beach means that there are hazards you’ll need to be aware of. This means you’ll need to consider beach safety and practice it to protect your whole family.
Beach safety entails many different topics, one of which includes applying SPF 30 sunscreen every two hours. This is necessary to protect you from the sun’s harmful UV rays and prevent sunburn.
You’ve probably heard that sunscreen is important, but maybe you’ve never understood why. We’ll explain this and a few other beach safety tips below to ensure that your family outing is full of fun and not too much sun!
Wear Appropriate Sunscreen
One of the most important tips to keep in mind is to wear appropriate sunscreen.
This is something you’ve likely heard several times before, so it’s easy to take for granted. Especially if you don’t spend much time in the sun, you might not appreciate the dangers of not wearing sunscreen.
This is a big mistake because the sun can be quite dangerous. Prolonged time in the sun exposes you to a lot of UV rays, which is harmful to your skin.
With too much sun exposure, your skin cells will die and you’ll develop a sunburn. This is highly painful and will last for several days.
If you continually spend time in the sun without protection, more serious complications can arise. You can age your skin and develop wrinkles, leathery skin, and spots. In severe situations, you can even get skin cancer.
Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to prevent sun damage. You just need to wear sunscreen that is at least 30 SPF. At 30 SPF and higher, more than 97% of the sun’s UV rays get blocked.
With this in mind, remember to have your whole family reapply their sunscreen every two hours so that they have continuous protection. This will give them the best defense against sunburns and skin damage.
Remember to Hydrate
You should also prioritize hydration while at the beach.
Being in the sun will cause you to sweat due to how warm it is. When you sweat, moisture is expelled from your body to cool you down.
Considering this, you get dehydrated faster in the sunshine than you do during cloudy weather. Pair this with any physical activity like swimming and walking on the beach and you can see why hydration is a must.
Even though you’re next to a massive body of water, you need clean water to drink to keep you hydrated. Make sure to take frequent sips of water rather than chugging a whole bottle every other hour.
It can be tricky to get your kids to drink water, so consider bringing other sources of hydration to encourage them. Flavored water and fruit are two great options that taste great and help keep hydration levels high.
Monitor Your Children
Another important consideration is to closely monitor your children.
It can be easy to zone out and enjoy some time relaxing in the sun, but you don’t want to neglect your kids. The water is always dangerous and your kids should never be left unattended.
Even if they know how to swim, an errant wave might overwhelm them and cause them to struggle. If you’re busy dozing off, then you won’t be able to react in time to save them.
It’s a good idea to only swim at beaches with lifeguards, but you shouldn’t rely on one to watch your child. Keep a close eye on them because their safety should be your top priority!
Watch the Water
As a final suggestion, you should also make sure to watch the water.
While the water may be calm when you first arrive, it can quickly change and create a dangerous situation. You don’t want to be out in the water when it’s choppy and there’s a heavy current.
One good way of doing this is to pay attention to warning flags at the beach. They vary in color from green to double red, with green having the lowest level of danger and double red meaning the beach is so dangerous that it’s closed.
If you notice any warning flags at the beach, consider swimming at another time. A green flag might be alright if you’re particularly careful and always next to your children, but don’t risk swimming during a yellow or red flag.
The water can be a fun experience, but a near-drowning or getting caught in a rip current is terrifying. Make sure your family is only swimming during calm conditions to avoid unnecessary danger.
Closing Thoughts
Beach safety might be the last thing on your mind during a family swimming trip, but it isn’t something that you should neglect. Getting injured or having a close call can cause a traumatic experience that ruins the day for everyone.
A few tips to keep in mind for beach safety include wearing sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, remembering to hydrate frequently, closely monitoring your children, and watching the water.
When you prioritize safety, it doesn’t mean that you can’t also have fun! It’s all about having fun responsibly, which requires you to refrain from taking risks and keep your family protected.
Sunshine is good for your health, so take your family to the beach as much as you’d like! Just remember to put safety first!
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