As the sunny weather and a British heat wave is upon us of course we want to spend time outside with our little ones, but it is important to keep them safe in the heat as well as having fun. Summer time enables us to enjoy the great outdoors with the children in the nursery, and this itself has many benefits for children’s learning and development. Learning outside supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles by offering children opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement, and promoting a sense of well-being. Outdoor play gives children contact with the natural world, and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather and the seasons.

In the warmer weather it is important that sun safety is always considered, some key factors to consider are……….

All children should be wearing a high factor SPF sun cream with at least a four star rating to protect their skin from UV. Sun cream should be regularly topped up throughout the day especially after exposure to water.
It's a good idea to keep children in the shade in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest - try and get into the habit of heading indoors between 11am and 3pm, or use a parasol or a play tent to provide some shade.
Make sure your child is always wearing a sunhat that protects their face and neck whenever they're out in the sun. Wearing a hat yourself can really encourage your reluctant toddler to follow suit - and hats with chinstraps can be very useful if your child likes removing their hat!
Water, water and more water. Keeping your child hydrated is so important in the warmer weather, take regular drinks break with your little ones and ensure you are monitoring their fluid intake.

Over the last week at First Steps we have had lots of water play to keep the children cool this has included water play outside, water fights for our older children, ice play and some cooling ice lollies and ice creams which was a lovely treat. We have been cooling off inside with some calmer relaxing activities such as story times, puzzles, threading and drawing activities this allows children to have some less physical activities to keep them cool.

For more information on sun safety you can visit https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/

Summer Time Play

Transitions

Starting at Pre-school