4 Ways To Keep Your Kids Safe At The Beach
Going to the beach, whether on a family vacation or just for the day, is something we all love to do. When we get to take our children too, then it’s even better. Just watching them enjoying themselves splashing about in the sea and making sandcastles is enough to make any heart melt – and this is how the very best childhood memories are made. It’s not about fancy vacations or buying lots of gifts. It’s about simple pleasures that are fun, when everyone is happy. So the beach can be perfect. It can also be dangerous if you’re not careful, so here are some tips on how to ensure your kids stay safe at the beach.
Know Their Limitations
We all know that the sea can look hugely tempting for kids and adults alike. That bright blue water, the sound of the waves crashing to shore, the coolness of the sea on a burning hot day; what’s wrong with letting the kids just run into it and letting them get on with it by themselves? Well, if they don’t know their limitations, it could be a terrible mistake. Make sure your children are fully aware of how far they can go, and how long they can stay out there. Make sure also that if they need floatation devices then they are wearing them, and that you’ve checked they are functional. It’s important for you as a parent to know your kids’ limitations too, so you can ensure they are safe at all times.
Talk to the Lifeguards
If you’re on a beach with lifeguards, why not talk to them before you or your children get into the water? Find out what the conditions are like, and where the rips are – you want to know for sure that if anything happens you (and the lifeguard) will be able to spot it. The lifeguard will have spent hours, days, weeks, months on that beach and will know it much better than you will, so getting their advice and input is hugely important. When you talk to them, have your children listen too. Kids love an authority figure to impress, and if that is the lifeguard at the beach, they’ll swim much more carefully knowing they have been given instructions, and are being watched.
Dress Them Right
If it’s a busy day on the beach, losing sight of your children, even when you are watching at all times, can happen. That’s a scary feeling. To prevent that from happening, you should dress them in something noticeable, so you won’t be able to miss them. Custom hats are a great way to ensure you can see the kids no matter where they go, especially if they are brightly colored. Getting custom hats with a recognizable picture or name on them will help keep your kids safe at the beach.
Check Who’s Watching
There will be times when you can’t watch your children – you might want to go and get some food for them, or feed the parking meter, or any number of other things. If it’s just you and the kids, the safest option is to take them with you. It might mean packing up your things, it might mean losing your spot, but your children will be safe. If there is a group of you at the beach with the kids, don’t just go and run your errand without checking that someone is keeping an eye on the little ones. Speak to one of your group and assign one person the task of watching the kids. Don’t assume someone will do the job if you don’t ask them to; they’ll probably think someone else is doing it.
