Happy spring! It’s that time of the year when children are dusting off their bicycles and scooters, gearing up to play a new season of their favorite sport, preparing for scouting and camp activities, and heading into the great outdoors. But too often, the youngest members of our families leave their safety gear — and common sense — behind.
Each spring, hundreds of thousands of children and teens are injured during outdoor recreation activities. That’s why we wanted to take the time to share some friendly advice on how to make this season of scouting – or whichever activities your family is planning to enjoy – the best yet! Here are several key springtime safety tips:
If it has wheels, wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle, skateboard or scooter is a key part of staying safe outdoors. Make it mandatory in your family. Also, read the safety materials that came with the helmet to ensure proper fit.
Have the right safety gear. Depending on what your child is doing outside – playing sports, camping, hiking, 4-wheeling, or biking – you may want to have them wear knee or wrist guards, pack along an LED rescue light, or other safety equipment. Broken wrists, for example, are common injuries when skating or skateboarding. And don’t skip sports-specific gear, such as cleats when playing soccer.
Consider mouth, eye protection. Do your children play basketball, baseball or football? Check with your dentist to see if a mouth guard makes sense for them. The Academy of General Dentistry estimates that wearing mouth guards prevents more than 200,000 injuries a year. Likewise, depending on the sport, protective eyewear may be in order and could prevent a serious eye injury.
Bonus tip: Talk to coaches, scout leaders and other organizers to get prepared before any event. You can also call us. We have a great selection of scouting specific gear you might want to take along. We’re happy to help!