Frolicking in the ocean, building castles in the sand, soaking up the sun: there’s nothing like a trip to the beach to make a summer vacation scream! But before you throw floaters in your car and stuff your fridge with snacks, learn how best to keep your whole family safe on the beach and in the ocean. That’s it:
Choose the Right Swimsuit
Recent research by Alive Solutions, a company specializing in water safety, shows that although a child’s blue plaid swimsuit may be very cute, it’s not the safest color combination on the beach. They tested the visibility of 14 swimsuits of different colors and patterns in pools and lakes and found that only neon yellow, green, and orange swimsuits were still detectable in 18 inches of open water. While small patterns don’t seem to have much of an impact on visibility, large dark patterns can actually reduce visibility even further. When you’re shopping for a swimsuit, also remember to buy sun-protective clothing. After all, it’s much easier to use a UV-blocking top to protect your child’s body from the sun than it is to use sunscreen.
Bring Lots of Water
Because of the high surface area-to-volume ratio, babies and toddlers are at greater risk of dehydration in the beach heat than you. Plus, young people often can’t or won’t tell you they’re thirsty. Therefore, it is especially important to carry plenty of water and fruits such as watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, peaches or cucumbers, all of which contain a lot of water and can help your baby stay properly hydrated. (Learn more about other super moisturizing foods.)
Provide a water or fruit break every 20 minutes or so. Children between the ages of 1 and 3 need about 4 drinks, including water, and children between the ages of 4 and 8 need about 5 drinks a day, but you will need to increase these during hot beach days. To keep your 6- to 12-month-olds well hydrated, you can provide them with 4 to 8 ounces of water per day. Babies under 6 months of age can get all the water they need with breast milk or infant formula. So, on a sweaty beach day, just offer more of the same.
Choose the Safest Place
When you’re browsing the beach, don’t just think about where you want to put your towel, but also where you’ll be playing in the water. This means that you should always…
Avoid swimming near piers, piles, or breakwaters. Dangerous offshore currents often form near docks and other permanent structures, which can push you underwater, further into the ocean, or directly into these obstacles!Always stay at least 100 feet away from them while in the water.
Find the lifeguard area. Swim only where there is a lifeguard on duty. Look for half of the red flags on the yellow flag. This indicates that the area is protected by lifeguards. If you find a red (high hazard), yellow (medium hazard), or red over red (water off), look for a new place to settle.
Go to the bay. Waves are created when the wind blows through large bodies of water, so when something disturbs the flow of air, such as a bay or a piece of land around a bay, the waves are severely weakened, making it a safer place for children to play.
Chat with a Lifeguard
If you’re new to the beach or curious about ocean conditions, take a stroll straight to the nearest lifetower and ask the following questions to gather some important marine safety information:
“What’s the water temperature today?” In general, 82 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal water temperature for kids to swim in, and children will feel most comfortable when the water temperature is warmer. (Cold water explodes body heat four times faster than cold air, which can cause your body to go into a “cold shock” state, which is dangerous for breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.)
“How’s the water quality?” Lifeguards are trained to detect dangerous currents and waves, so they can tell you how safe the water is.
“Are there any underwater dangers that need to be understood?” Coral reefs, rocks, shoals, steep cliffs, cluttered vegetation, stinging sea creatures: there may be many unknowns beneath the surface.
Hug a Life Jacket
You may have bought those cute cartoon inflatable hydrofoils for your water baby, but it doesn’t protect your baby from drowning. What can? U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (check label!) – and you’re always within reach of your child. For toddlers under 5 years of age, choose a life jacket with a strap and head support between the legs to keep your baby’s head up and face out of the water. (These will be labeled as “Type II Life Jackets.”)
PS: Puddle Jumpers are one-piece flotation devices with arm buoys, attached to a chest strap buckled at the back, approved by the Coast Guard…But they are considered Type III personal flotation devices. This means that puddle divers are only suitable for use in calm, protected inland waters close to the coast, where there is a good chance of immediate rescue. These buoys are not designed to have an unconscious swimmer face up in the water.
Be Smart
It seems safer to hang out on the beach than to swim in the sea. And, usually, this is often the case, but it’s important to keep these potential dangers in mind:
Sand hole collapse: If your little fish likes to dig in the sand, make sure the sand hole is only knee-high. Digging deeper could put your child in danger of falling into a sand hole. Studies have shown that once a child is caught in a sandslide, they can easily become completely submerged, leaving with almost zero holes left behind – or your child! It may seem like a 1 in a million, right? But the truth is, there are more deaths from sandhole collapses than shark attacks nationwide!
Bacterial sand: If you’re on a beach that has a swimming recommendation due to potential contaminants, stay away from the sand. Pathogens survive longer in sand than in water, so you should assume that sand is also contaminated, especially near water.
Hot Sand: Don’t let the cool weather fool you! Even if the temperature is only 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the sand can be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that when the air temperature is close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the sand temperature can exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s a must have a pair of beach/water shoes for your child!
Learning About Water Safety
Everyone who goes to the beach should know how to swim, but let’s be honest, your baby or toddler is probably not ready to swim in the sea! Swimming in the sea and swimming in a pool are completely different experiences. But there are a few things you can do to help prepare your child for this type of water experience:
Take these types of swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends starting swimming lessons as early as 12 months with a focus on survival in the water as an extra layer of protection against drowning. While there is no evidence that infant swimming lessons reduce the risk of infant drowning, studies have shown that children aged 1 to 4 years who have attended a swimming lesson have an 88% lower risk of drowning. By age 4, swimming lessons are considered a “must” for most families.
Don’t just rely on swimming lessons! Swimming lessons are just one of the many important strategies to help prevent drowning. Other levels of protection include constant supervision, keeping young children and inexperienced swimmers within reach, putting a life jacket on your child, and ensuring your child only goes into the water with a buddy and near a lifeguard. (Teach them that catchy phrase: “Swim together near the lifeguard’s chair.”)
Please wait before entering the water. Observe the current for 5 to 10 minutes before entering the water so that the offshore current can be detected before entering the water. According to the National Weather Service, you’re looking for dark, narrow still water gaps that flow offshore between broken waves. Rip currents can sometimes appear milky, turbulent, or sandy, but there is never any wave activity there. Another clue to the rip current: the ocean foliage on the beach is distinctly scallop-shaped. (Offshore currents account for 80% of beach rescues!)
Show the kids how to get into the water and play in the water. Always walk carefully from the sand into the water. (Do not jump into the water from a height!) and, once in the ocean, continue to face the water, not the sand. If your child is standing with their back to the water, the invisible waves can easily knock them over.
Prevent Sunburn
The sun on the beach is no joke! Moreover, in summer ultraviolet (UV) rays are stronger and are easily reflected by water and sand, leading to increased exposure to dangerous UV rays. It’s no wonder that 55% to 72% of children get sunburned each year. While sunburns can cause some severe pain, a single blistering burn during childhood or adolescence can more than double your child’s chances of developing melanoma later in life. To make sure your child’s skin is safe, keep in mind the following skin-smart beach tips:
Choose this sunscreen. Children need a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or higher. And avoid sprays, which are notorious for poor coverage. Dr. Harvey Karp recommends using mineral sunscreens, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding the sunscreen ingredient “oxybenzone.”
When to protect: Apply sunscreen to your child half an hour before going outside.
Use enough sunscreen. You’ll need about an ounce of sunscreen (about enough to fill a small glass or a pill cup) to cover your child’s body, and half a teaspoon of sunscreen for their face. Don’t forget their ears and feet, these are two of the most overlooked!
No sunscreen is waterproof, and no sunscreen lasts all day. Most of the time, sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours. Waterproof sunscreen stays effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes while swimming, and then needs to be reapplied.
Go beyond the SPF range. The best way to avoid sunburn is to stay away from the beach between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest – even if it’s cloudy! This is especially true for babies under 3 months of age, who should not wear sunscreen.