Keeping Kids Safe in Winter Weather

As the winter approaches, parents face new worries when it comes to keeping their children safe and healthy. The wintertime can be a magical season that brings on a whole new set of fun for kids. Children love to play in the snow, make snowmen, go skiing or sledding, and try their hand at ice skating.

Amidst all of this season fun, however, lies the risk of children getting sick and hurt. Parents who want their kids to be able to enjoy the snow and cold while also wanting to keep their children safe may wonder how to accomplish both goals. They can make winter a fun season for their entire family by taking these suggestions into mind.

Teach Children How to Use Winter Sports Equipment Safely

Unlike football, soccer, swimming, and other summer and fall sports, winter sports are competitive and risky at the same time. Sports like hockey, ice skating, skiing, and other winter sports involve using equipment that could be deadly if it is used incorrectly.

With hockey equipment, children can get slashed by skate blades or whacked by hockey sticks, and when skiing kids can break their ankles by using skis the wrong way. Parents who want their children to go out and be active, yet remain safe are encouraged to teach their kids how to use this wintertime sports equipment safely.

Children can get slashed by ice skate blades or break their ankles by using skis the wrong way. Parents who want their children to be active, yet remain safe as well are encouraged to teach their kids how to use this wintertime sports equipment safely.

Keep Children Warm

This suggestion seems obvious to most parents; however, some people forget how quickly children can get soaked to the bone while outside in the snow and ice. It does not take very long at all for the snow to soak through a child’s pants or sweater.

Once a child is wet and cold, that young one can easily get frostbitten and suffer from the extreme chill. Parents can let their kids stay outside in the snow by investing in winter-proof clothing like snow pants and flannel long johns. Their children should also wear a warm coat, gloves, a hat, and a scarf while out in the cold.

Keep Children Away from Ice Covered Bodies of Water

Numerous children each year fall through ice on top of lakes, ponds, streams, and other bodies of water. A child may gauge a sheet of ice to be thick enough to walk on, only for the ice to crack and break. No parent wants their child plunging into the cold water.

Children can be kept safe when their parents teach them to stay away from iced bodies of water. A child may want to ice skate or retrieve a toy or a pet that has wandered onto the ice. However, the ice may not be thick enough and be too thin to walk on safely. Parents should remind children to stay away from ice-covered water.

Watching Where You Step

Slips and falls top the list of potential dangers. Not all businesses clear their property of ice in a timely manner. Make sure that your child is watching where he steps to avoid slipping on a patch of ice.

These suggestions and more can keep children safe during the winter. This season can be fraught with dangers of sickness and injuries. Parents can avoid the trauma that comes from witnessing a child being hurt or sickened when they take the proper precautions to protect their kids during this season.