How to Help You and Your Children Stay Cool in the Sun and Heat at an Outdoor Event

Going with children to an outdoor event on a hot day is fun thing to do. Picnics, sporting events, field trips and family gatherings are a few examples. Taking them out in the sun and the heat can be dangerous if everyone is not properly protected from overheating in high temperatures. There are simple tricks you can use to protect children and yourself from the effects of overheating at a hot outdoor event or outing.

* Keep everyone hydrated. First and foremost you have to keep fluids in you and your child. Start this ahead of time by making sure everyone is fully hydrated before you leave on any hot day outing. don't wait until any of you are feeling woozy or sick and exhausted from the heat.

*Bring along individual water or juice containers so each person has his or her own. Label them with waterproof markers. If you are attending an event you can take a cooler to, make sure you store the drinks in plenty of ice. Chill them ahead of time to in order to keep them cold longer.

* If you take a cooler, keep a couple bottles of completely frozen water in the cooler. It will stay cold longer and be instant relief to hold against a hot face or body. They are also good for injuries.

* Put a couple clean washcloths in a zip top reusable plastic bag. You can dip these in water to help cool anyone who is overheated from the heat and sun at an outdoor event. They can also be used to clean messy hands and faces.

* Purchase some inexpensive small plastic spritzer bottles filled with water to carry wherever you go. You can spray water on younger children this way and let the older children have fun doing it to themselves or each other. They are easy to refill in any public bathroom at outdoor events.

* Make or buy paper fans to tuck in bags. Some times there is just no breeze at a hot sunny outdoor event. Combining these with the water spritzer will help child and adult alike to deal with the sun and heat at an outdoor event.

* If you are anyplace with trees, set up a seating area in the shade of the trees. It is a good place to escape the heat and to help an exhausted or overheated child rest at an outdoor event in the heat. An alternative would be to buy an umbrella that can be stuck in the ground and is big enough for a couple people to sit under. That way if there are no trees, you have instant shade.

* Dress you and your child appropriately. Lighter weight fabrics and light coloured fabrics will help to keep you and your children cooler. Dark coloured fabrics may look nice, but they don't help you stay cool in the sun and heat.

* Bring simple hats. If you can't get out of the direct sun, at least you can protect your face and head from the direct sunlight.

* Use common sense. If it is too unbearably hot to be outdoors and the event can be planned for a less extremely hot day, then wait until it is a little cooler. Don't push yourself or the children to over do in the sun and heat. Some people handle heat better than others. Be aware of that fact when you plan outdoor events. When you go to an outing on a hot day be prepared to deal with the heat and plan accordingly.