Head-to-Toe Summer Safety for Kids & Parents

Enjoying lots of healthy outdoor activities and sports is one of my favourite things about summer – but it’s important not to forget about safety in your enthusiasm to get going. From swimming, to biking, rollerblading, and hiking, taking proper safety precautions and wearing the right equipment is key to making sure your fun doesn’t end in an injury or other misfortune.

I wanted to share this easy way to do a quick activity safety check for you and your loved ones. It’s as simple as going from head to toe and considering what equipment you might need for each body area. Click on the image below to see our Head-to-Toe Activity Safety Sheet full size and/or to download.

Depending on the activity, the equipment for each area will change. So while the “Head” area requires a helmet for biking, it might also include a mouthguard for more rigorous sports or goggles for swimming. Lifejackets are a key piece of “Body” equipment for boating, and if you’re a rollerblader you’ll be glad to have elbow pads on your “Arms” and knee pads on your “Legs”. While you might not think about it from a safety perspective, let me assure you that a good pair of hiking shoes for your “Feet” will make a big difference to your safety and comfort while hiking, and I would avoid flip flops on a bike.

If you have young children, try going through the various body parts with them and ask what gear they think would be good to have for each – it can be a fun way to get kids engaged in thinking about safety. If you want to take it a step further, you can print out our Activity Safety Sheet (just click to see the full image then download) and let your kids fill it out for themselves.

Feel free to tag us online (@BurrisonLaw on Facebook & Twitter) if you want to share how your kids filled out their Activity Safety Sheets, and here’s to a happy and safe summer for you and your loved ones from Burrison Law.