Summer months are filled with fun, festive activities like trips to the playground and beaches, pool parties and backyard barbecues. The ACS Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention encourages parents and caregivers to take a moment to familiarize themselves with potential hazards and how they can prevent injuries to children.
As spring and summer arrive and the weather gets warmer, many families may want to open their windows to let the fresh air in. But open windows can pose a serious risk to curious children. The best way to prevent window falls are to watch your children around open windows and install window guards or window stops. View the tips for Window Guards.
Bicycling and scootering are one of the best ways to for children and their parents to get exercise and see the sights. However, children face many hazards and must the follow safety precautions to prevent injury. Help set your kids up for a great ride by making sure they have all the right equipment in place and follow these tips on Bicycle and Scooter Safety.
Parents and caregivers can act immediately to prevent vehicular heatstroke by never leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, not even for a minute! Even with the windows rolled down or the air conditioning on, a child's body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult's. You can prevent hot car deaths by visiting Park-Look-Lock.
Playing in playgrounds is great for your child's physical, social and thinking development. By staying close to your child, especially when they're trying something new or complicated, you can help keep playground visits safe and give your child the confidence to develop movement skills. Playground Safety is about supervising children and checking whether equipment is safe for them.
When you think about places where kids are around water, you may think of recreational areas such as pools, lakes, or oceans, but it's important to also keep in mind areas in your home like bathrooms and buckets where kids can get into water. View the tips for Water and Pool Safety.