Article

Keep Your Child Safe from the Sun at School

Do you worry about your child getting too much sun at school in the summer? Here are some tips and ideas for sun safety.

My older son started school this year. He's a redhead and we've always been extremely careful with him in the sun. Now he's at school we won't be able to monitor him so closely. The school has a policy of not applying sunscreen to kids. Of course we'll apply it before school, but most sunscreens need reapplying during the day. There are sunscreens that claim all day protection, but I'm not convinced enough and I'm not sure how well it would stand up to a day at school - playing, sweating, getting changed for sports, ... And lots of kids have breakfast club before school and sports afterwards - it can be quite a long day. I've been looking into options to keep my son safe from the sun if we have a hot summer. We're already having a warm spring so we've had to start on the sun protection early this year.

Sunscreen Towelettes

One option is to give your child a sunscreen towelette to apply after lunch each day before they go outside.

The towelettes have sunscreen on them and are just wiped over the body to apply sunscreen.

I think a child has a much better chance of successfully applying sunscreen using a towelette than using a lotion or spray sunscreen.

You can easily pop one of these in a child's lunchbag each day so they will be able to use it at lunchtime and add some extra protection for playing outdoors after lunch and in the afternoon.

They're also handy to keep in the car and purse for those times when you unexpectedly need sunscreen.

Coretex SunX SPF30 Sunscreen Towelettes

Coretex SunX SPF30 Sunscreen Towelettes - 25 Individual Foil Pouch Towelettes/Box, PABA Free, ...
$28.06

A UV Protection Sun Hat

A proper hat with a high sun protection factor is another way to keep sun off kids. A hat adds extra protection for the face and neck which are sensitive to the sun.

Of course your child actually needs to wear the hat for it to be effective. My son knows he needs to wear his hat when it's sunny and is pretty good at remembering.

It helps to have a hat that your child likes. So get them to help choose their hat or pick on in a favorite color or design.

The Tuga boys and girls bucket hats come in a variety of styles for boys and girls. They are UPF50 offering high protection from the sun and have a toggle to keep the hat in place.

Tuga Boys and Girls Bucket Hat

Tuga Boys Bucket Hat (UPF 50+), Shark Green, Large

Tuga Girls Bucket Hat (UPF 50+), Plumeria Purple, Large

Kids Sunscreen Stick

Another child-friendly sunscreen option is a sunscreen stick. I always keep one of these in my purse during summer months just in case it ends up sunnier that expected or we're out for longer that planned.

This summer I will give my son a sunscreen stick to take to school. They are easier for kids to use and he should be able to get some extra sunscreen on his face and neck at least without it taking too much time.

A stick has the advantage that kid's hands don't get messy and they are more likely to be happy to apply their sunscreen.

Coppertone Kids Stick SPF 55

Coppertone Kids Stick SPF 55, .6-Ounce (Pack of 3)
$15.97

Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant

Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant - si

$29.95

Sun Protection Fabric Treatment

Another option to consider is treating the clothes your child wears to school with a UV protective treatment. This doesn't work on polyester or acrylic fabrics but will work on other clothing. It doesn't harm the appearance or feel of clothing

Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant is added to your laundry to boost the UV protection of ordinary fabrics. The protection lasts through several washes and can boost UV protection of clothing up to 30 SPF.

This looks like a great option if you get a lot of sun. My son wears cotton shirts to school so this could work well. A light-weight long-sleeved shirt protected with sun guard would also be an option during hot weather.

It's a good option for school as it doesn't require kids to actually do anything - they just wear their regular clothes. Of course it will only protect the parts of their body that are covered by clothing, but those are often the parts we forget about.

UV Monitor Cards

These UV monitor cards are a cheap way to check how strong the sun is. They only take 10 seconds to change color to show how strong the sun is and they are reusable.

Handy for kids to keep in a pocket and check how strong the sun is and keep in the shade if it's really hot. It's also a fun way to get kids to think about how hot the sun is and to start noticing if the sun is very strong and to make sure they have their hat on and keep in the shade as much as possible.

Sun Meter UV card

Sun Meter UV card - 6 cards, Plastic Cards
$11.3

Apply Sunscreen Before School

Of course applying a good quality sunscreen or sunblock before your child goes to school is crucial. Physical sunscreens like BurnOut are becoming increasingly popular - they place a physical sunblock layer over the skin rather than relying on chemical protection.

Sunscreen or sunblock spends a lot of time on your kids skin so considering the ingredients carefully is important. Loving Naturals is a vegan sunblock certified as organic and cruelty free.

Banana Boat are known for their gentle, hypoallergenic and tear free and tear free sun protection lotions.

Popular Sun Screens for Kids

BurnOut SPF 30+ KIDS Physical Sunscreen

$18.68 $17.32

Loving Naturals SPF 30 Sunscreen Zinc Oxide 5 Oz. UVA/UVB Vegan

Banana Boat Kid's Sunblock Lotion Tear Free Spf 50, 8-Ounce Units (Pack of 2)

$38.99

Keeping School Lunches Cool

How to Keep Kids Lunch Cool: Freezable and Insulated Lunch Bags, Boxes and Packs and Other Ideas
Are you wondering how to keep your kids lunch cool as the weather gets warmer? Find the latest freezable lunch bags and other ideas for a cool lunch.

Updated April 5, 2012

Do you have any more ideas for keeping kids safe in the sun at school?

ShazMar 31, 2012

Anything that makes it easier and more fun for kids to apply sunscreen by themselves at school is a great thing - I love the towelettes idea for this reason and now that I know they are available, I'll be getting some for my grand daughter for school. Great article, thanks!

MladenMar 30, 2012

I experience strong headaches every time I spend more than 30 minutes in the sun. Children are very vulnerable to heat and sun, and they by nature spend lot of time playing in the yard, on the playground...
Pale, redhead children are in danger in these years of increased Sun's activity. Skin malignoma are more and more seen in age of 10 to 18. UV radiation is one of leading causes of deathly diseases in countries arround equator. So, your article is sending good message to parents to protect skins of their loved ones.

MarieMar 29, 2012

My daughter takes a sun stick to school which is easy for her to use. She also likes to take some shades but I think that's more because she thinks it looks cool rather than to protect her eyes! I write her name with a perm marker on the outside of the stick because so many kids take these things to school.