Kids often play outside without paying attention to taking sun safety
measures. It is important that kids learn about sun safety for their
long-term health. Skin cancer affects people of all races and ages, and a
little prevention goes a long way. The following activities will help
to teach about what can be done by kids to protect themselves from the
sun.
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Ask each child to bring a bottle of sunscreen from home.
Provide blank paper and crayons and ask the children to draw a picture
of their bottles of sunscreen. Explain that sunscreen helps our skin to
stay healthy and not get sick from being in the sun too much. After arts
and crafts time, have the kids put on sunscreen and go for a walk in
the sun together.
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Gather a collection of silly children's hats. They can be
found inexpensively at thrift stores and dollar stores. Number each hat,
then place corresponding numbers under the seats of the chairs the
children sit in. Ask the kids to check under their seats and to wear the
hat with the same number. Take the children outside on a parade to
showcase their new silly hats. Make sure to talk about how hats help to
keep our scalps from becoming damaged by the sun as well as help to keep
the sun off of our faces.
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Ask the children to bring sunglasses, then have them trace
their sunglasses on blank paper. Provide crayons, markers, glitter and
more so that they can decorate their own movie star sunglasses. Talk
about the importance of UVA and UVB protection in sunglasses and how
that protection keeps our eyes from becoming damaged by the sun. Have
the children wear their sunglasses and head outside for some story time
in the sunshine.
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When the weather is not too hot, clothing can be used to
help protect skin from the sun. Talk to the children about using bathing
suit cover-ups and long sleeves when appropriate to protect their skin
from the sun. You also might mention that they can ask their parents
about buying special sun-blocking clothing. Ask the kids to dress dolls
in clothing that would protect them from the sun, then have them
participate in creative play, pretending that their dolls are spending a
day at the beach.
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