How to keep Children Safe at the Beach

Taking the kids to the beach can be a fun day out, but it is important to think about the safety aspects before you arrive. Below are a few tips and ideas on what to look out for at the beach to make sure everyone stays safe!
Sea
When you arrive at the beach you should have a look at the sea and determine whether it is calm enough for your children to swim safely. If you have checked the weather forecast beforehand this will give you a good indication of the sea’s activity throughout the day. If you know it is going to be windy you should avoid playing in the sea as rip currents and strong waves may be present which can become very dangerous should a child get caught up in them.

Sun
Hopefully it will be a lovely sunny day, so in preparation, you should be armed with plenty of high factor sun cream as well as sunglasses and hats to protect the areas of skin on show most! Taking along a beach shelter is a great idea as it can come in handy for many different things! If the sun rays are particularly strong then children can sit and play inside the shelter to escape the sun throughout the day. It is also a great place to sit and eat your dinner as well as a private area to get changed at the end of the day!

Sand
You should check the sand for sharp objects such as litter or broken bits of plastic that may be buried under the sand as these may cause injuries if trodden on. Have a quick look and feel around before pitching up at the beach to eliminate any immediate dangers that could pose threat to your kids. Wearing beach shoes or flip flops is an easy way to protect feet should you step on any sharp or rough objects.

Sealife
At the beach kids love to explore and there are lots of new and exciting animals they can come across! Lots of sea creatures are harmless and won’t hurt children if they touch or pick them up. However, there are other animals such as crabs, jelly fish and weever fish that may sting or pinch if they are touched! As a general rule to avoid any accidents with sealife, you should teach children to “look but don’t touch”.

Safety
At the beach you will notice different flags situated at different points. These flags indicate how safe or unsafe that area of the beach is, so it is important that both adults and children have an understanding of what they mean, so everyone can stay safe.
• Red and yellow flags indicate it is a lifeguard area. This means children are safe to swim in the sea, as well as use inflatables and body boards.
• Black and white chequered flags is for surfers and kayaks along with other non powered craft. You should never swim in an area with this flag.
• Orange windsocks indicate offshore or strong winds, so you should never use inflatables when the sock is flying.
• Red flags mean danger! Never go swimming in the water when the red flag is up, regardless of the circumstances.