Teaching young kids to be sun smart

As we head into summer here's a quick reminder of what we need to do and what we need to teach our kids to do.

We’ve all heard the phrase Slip Slop Slap and Wrap a thousand times, but it’s so important as parents and caregivers to keep kids safe in the harsh New Zealand sun.

Whether they're playing outside, swimming in the pool or visiting one of our many beaches.

Over 400 New Zealanders die from skin cancer every year, even though it’s largely preventable.

Due to our location and clean air, the intensity of the UV radiation we receive in New Zealand from the sun is a lot higher than in most other countries.

With this exposure, comes the risk of sunburn which in turn is linked to melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
 

4 Ways to teach young kids to be Sun Smart

From an early age teach it's important to teach your kids the sun safety message and how to be Sun Smart.

1. SLIP on a long-sleeved t-shirt and into some shade, especially between 10.00am and 4.00pm each day.

2. SLOP on SPF30+ broad spectrum sunscreen before going outside. Don’t forget to reapply it after any physical activity, swimming and towel drying.

3. SLAP on a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off their face and neck.

4. WRAP on some sunglasses to protect their eyes.

By helping kids to adopt sun-protective behaviours during early childhood you can help them to reduce the life-long risk of skin cancer.
 

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