We’re taking every opportunity possible to get the children outside at our day nurseries now that summer is here! I’m sure many of you have already clocked up lots of trips to the park, perhaps a visit to The Witterings and plenty of time outside in the garden.

You may also be planning a summer holiday, or maybe you’re able to take advantage of off-peak rates and are squeezing in a trip before the schools all finish for summer.

Whatever outdoor activities you’re doing, you’ll need to protect your little and big ones from the sun. Here are my tips for enjoying the sunshine and keeping sun safe.

Sun Safety Tips For Babies And Toddlers

Avoid the heat of the day: Your first line of defence against the sun is to stay inside! But of course this isn’t always practical and naturally we all want to make the most of any sunny days we get. The sun’s rays are at their strongest and most harmful between 10am and 3pm, so if possible plan your activities around these times.

If you’re on a day out, planning a picnic lunch or really don’t want to limit your outdoor activities during the day, take advantage of shade! Invest in a sun umbrella or UV beach tent, lay your picnic blanket out in the shade of some trees, buy a parasol for your buggy, and get an UV awning for your deck.

• We have lots of shady places in our nurseries so the children can play outside as much as possible.

Cover Up: Top of the list has to be a sun hat. Regardless of whether you’re in the shade or smeared head to toe in sun lotion, a sun hat is an essential bit of kit. A broad-brimmed hat will provide extra shade over your child’s face, neck and shoulders; or buy your toddler a legionnaire’s style cap with a neck flap.

Thin, pale fabrics do not offer much UV protection so make sure you apply sun cream underneath clothing too. Dark, thicker fabrics do offer more of a defence but might be too warm to wear.

Sun protective clothing with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) built in are an excellent option for covering up, especially on the beach or by the pool when sun cream might be washed off in the water.

• If you’re child is attending nursery make sure they come with a named sun hat during the summer months. We also have some spares if you forget.

Sunscreens: To protect your little one’s skin a high SPF sunscreen is a must. Even when you’re in the shade you can still get sunburn, so applying sun cream routinely will give your baby or toddler good all round protection.

Once is not enough! To be effective sunscreen needs to be applied regularly to maintain protection levels. Make sure you cover all those exposed bits! Tops of ears, nap of neck, backs of knees and hands and feet all need a good slather.

• We ask parents to apply sunscreen before they drop their child off at nursery, and we do double check to make sure they are protected. We also have factor 50 sensitive hypoallergenic sun cream to top up with during the day; although parents must sign a consent form to allow us to do this. For those children with very sensitive skin you can provide your preferred brand of sunscreen.

Children’s Sunglasses: UVB rays can damage the lens inside the eye. Any sunglasses carrying a CE mark (a European standard of UV protection) will offer 95% protection against UV rays below 380 nanometres*.

However, when choosing children’s sunglasses be aware that light can also get in from the sides, and in the gap between the sunglasses and your face. So check that they fit snuggly, offering maximum protection: wraparounds are great!

Also dark tints on sunglasses might make you think you’re getting better protection, but they can actually dilate your pupil letting more light in. This may actually make the sunglasses more dangerous than not wearing any at all. So always make sure you check what the UV rating is, so you know they are giving you maximum benefit.

Water: Hot and sunny weather doesn’t just cause issues with sunburn but also with hydration. Everyone needs to be aware of his or her fluid intake, so make sure you have plenty of water when out and about.

• We encourage the children in our care to keep hydrated by providing drinks throughout the day, and reminding them to stop playing for just a few minutes to have a drink.

We’ve got our fingers crossed for a lovely sunny and sun safe summer – wishing you all lots of fun in the sun with your family!

*Light is measured in nanometres, with UVB rays measuring 320-390 nanometres.