Many families take advantage of the summer season to visit fun vacation destinations like amusement parks. Enjoy the experience without worry by keeping the following safety tips in mind:

Ride safety

Teach your children how to be safe riders. When deciding if a ride is safe for your child, think about their size, age and ability.

• Does your child fit properly in the seat? Always obey minimum and maximum height, age, weight and health restrictions. These rules are based on the ride's forces and your child’s ability to handle them.
• Can your child follow directions and stay seated? If your child can’t keep their hands and feet inside the ride, don’t let them get on.
• Can your child use the safety equipment? Make sure your child can use seatbelts, lap bars and other safety gear correctly. Some rides might not be safe for younger children because the equipment isn’t designed to keep them secure.

Watch the ride with your child before boarding.

• Read warning signs with your child.
• Point out the ride attendants and where to get on and off.
• Explain that riders must stay seated until the attendant tells them they can get up. Talk about what to do if the ride stops or your child gets scared while the ride is moving.

Water park safety

• Children under 48 inches, non-swimmers and weak swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest. Bring your own to ensure proper fit and availability.
• Follow the lifeguard’s instructions and signal them if you see someone in trouble.
• Remind children not to run on wet surfaces to avoid slips and falls.
  For more information, read our guide on Water Safety.

Other safety considerations

• Apply waterproof sunscreen before leaving home and reapply it throughout the day.
• Drink plenty of fluids, avoiding drinks with sweeteners or caffeine.
• Dress for safety. Secure loose clothing, jewelry and long hair. Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes or sneakers.
• Use the buddy system. Make sure a child is never on their own, even on rides.
• Take a group photo before the hike. It can help if someone gets lost, especially to remember what they were wearing.
• Teach your children what to do if you get separated.
  • Remind them never to leave the park with anyone without talking to you first. 
  • Show your child how to spot park employees to ask for help.
  • Have a plan and meeting place in case you become separated. For older kids, schedule times to meet at this spot throughout the day.
  • Use a way to identify your young child if they get lost. Some low-tech options include write-on, peel-and-stick tattoos or a tag laced into shoelaces with contact information. A high-tech option would be a location tracker.
     

Porches and decks

• Ensure the railing is no more than 4 inches off the deck or porch surface to prevent your child from crawling underneath.
• If the slats or spindles in your railing create spaces that are wider than 4 inches, add more slats or spindles or install a guard to prevent your child from slipping through.
• Keep furniture and outdoor decorations away from railings to prevent children from climbing or falling over the railing.
• Make sure stairs from your deck or porch have a handrail.
• Install a gate at the top and bottom of the stairs for small children.
• Keep doors and windows to your deck or porch locked so children can’t access the space unsupervised.
• Check your outdoor space regularly for hazards. When in doubt, hire a professional to inspect it.

Outdoor grills

• Never use an outdoor grill in an enclosed space, such as a garage or tent, as it can cause a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Keep the grill a safe distance from siding, deck railings, play areas, foot traffic and lawn games. Don’t place it under eaves or overhanging branches.
• Create a kid-free zone of at least three feet around the grill to keep children and pets safe. Always supervise children around the grill.
• Keep matches and lighters away from children, and teach them to tell an adult if they find any.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing while grilling.
• Use long-handled grilling tools to keep your hands away from heat and flames.
• Don’t leave perishable food out in the sun.

If you have a designated play structure in your backyard, read our guide on Playground Safety.

The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public firework show put on by professionals. Be sure to stay at least 500 feet from the show. Since many states have outlawed most fireworks, it is best to leave any area where amateurs are using them. If you’re setting fireworks off at home, follow these safety tips:

• Choose a location away from buildings and trees.
• Never give fireworks to small children. Never throw or point fireworks toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or anything flammable. Always follow the instructions on the package.
• Keep spectators, including children and pets, a safe distance away.
• Have water or a fire extinguisher nearby. If you live in an area that is experiencing a drought, consider canceling the show – a stray spark that lands on dry grass or leaves can lead to a wildfire.
• Make sure the person lighting the fireworks wears eye protection.
• Light only one firework at a time, and never try to relight a “dud."
• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children and pets.

Mosquitoes and ticks

Mosquitoes and ticks can be more than just annoying, they can spread disease. Follow these tips to prevent bites this summer:

• Use insect repellents with DEET (diethyltoluamide) when outdoors. Follow the directions on the package.
• Stay indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and tuck your pant legs into socks or boots.
• Use a rubber band or tape to keep pants against your socks so nothing can get under your clothing.
• Tuck your shirt into your pants, and wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to see tiny insects or ticks.
• When hiking, stay in the middle of trails and avoid underbrush and tall grass.
• If you are outdoors for a long time, check yourself regularly, especially in hairy areas like the neck and scalp.
• Inspect yourself (or have someone look) carefully for insects or ticks after being outdoors.
• If you have pets that go outdoors, make sure they take a tick preventive or spray them with pet-safe repellent.
• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying sources of standing water outside your home, such as flowerpots, buckets and barrels.

Camping

If you’re planning a camping trip, consider your group’s abilities and the surrounding environment to make safe choices.

• Share your travel plans and locations with a family member, neighbor or friend.
• Stay up to date with the weather and pack for inclement weather, such as rain, high heat and humidity.
• Practice campfire safety.
  • Fires within a campsite should be at least 15 feet from tent walls, shrubs and trees.
  • Keep fires small and contained in a designated area like a fire pit.
  • Watch children and pets closely around a fire.
  • Never leave a fire unattended.
  • Put out fires before leaving or going to sleep. Extinguish all embers, not just the red ones.
• Pack a first aid kit to treat insect stings, sprains, cuts, bruises and other injuries. Take a First Aid and CPR course so you are prepared if help is delayed.
• Pack and store food safely.
  • Prevent unwanted confrontations with an animal. Pack food in tight, waterproof containers and store in an insulated cooler.
  • Avoid foodborne illnesses by washing your hands and separating raw food from cooked meals.
  • Bring healthy food and plenty of water. While camping, you are exposed to the elements more than usual. Drink more water to stay hydrated, especially at higher elevations.
• Practice wildlife safety. Do not feed wildlife, as this can make them more likely to approach you. It could also be dangerous to the animal.  

Hiking

It is important to involve children in planning a hike so they understand how to handle unsafe situations on the trail.

• If your kids are young, make sure they understand that they need to always remain within your sight. Dress them in bright colors to make them easier to spot if they get lost.
• Take a group photo before the hike. It can help if someone gets lost, especially to remember what they were wearing.
• Each person should carry a whistle to help alert others if they get separated from the group.
• Show your kids the route you’ll take so they have a mental picture of where they’re headed. If you will pass significant landmarks, such as a waterfall, point those out on the map as well.
• Remind children what to do if you encounter wildlife or get caught in a thunderstorm.
• If hiking in a larger group, adults should take turns keeping a close eye on where the younger children are at all times.
• Review with your kids what they should do if they get separated from you.
  • Stay where they are and don’t wander farther, unless they are in immediate danger.
  • Stay calm and remember help is on the way.
  • Exercise in place if they are cold (jumping jacks, running in place, etc.)
  • Stay as dry as possible.
  • Blow their whistle in three short bursts every few minutes.

Sunburns

Follow these simple rules from the American Academy of Pediatrics to protect your family from sunburns:

• Keep babies younger than 6 months out of direct sunlight. Find shade under a tree, an umbrella or the stroller canopy.
• When possible, dress yourself and your children in cool, comfortable clothing that covers the body, such as lightweight cotton pants, long-sleeved shirts and hats.
• Choose clothes with a tight weave as they offer better protection than looser fabrics. To check, hold the fabric up to the light – less light means better protection. Or you can look for clothing labeled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).
• Wear a hat with an all-around three-inch brim to shield the face, ears and back of the neck.
• Limit your sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when ultraviolet rays are strongest.
• Wear sunglasses with at least 99% ultraviolet protection. Look for youth-sized sunglasses with ultraviolet protection.
• Apply sunscreen regularly.

Heat-related illnesses

Reduce the possibility of death from heatstroke by remembering to ACT:

• A: Avoid heat-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Make sure to keep your car locked when you are not inside so kids don’t get in on their own.
• C: Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty. Move it to the front seat as a reminder when your child is in the back. Or, put your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child.
• T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

• Buckling up on every ride is the single most important thing a family can do to stay safe in the car.
• Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. Never leave your child alone in a car, not even for a minute.
• If you are planning to travel by air this summer, be sure to use your infant and toddler’s car seat on the plane. Check to make sure the car seat is labeled “certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” 
• If you are visiting friends and family, talk to them about being careful to keep small objects away from young kids. This includes medications that look like candy, button batteries, magnets and small toys that children can swallow. Also remind them to watch kids closely when they are around water.
• For car seat safety tips and resources, read our guide on Car Seat Safety.

• Always supervise children closely when they are near or in water, staying focused and undistracted. Use a Water Watcher card to assign a responsible adult to watch the kids in the water.
• Teach children to swim with an adult. Even older, more experienced swimmers should swim with a partner.
• Swimming aids such as water wings or noodles are fun toys for kids but are not appropriate to be used in place of a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Every year, alcohol use by both boat operators and passengers leads to boating accidents. To keep you and your loved ones safe, don’t drink alcohol while boating. 
• For additional water safety tips, read our guide on Water Safety.