Children and sun – Practical information for parents

Most parents know that it is important for children to be careful when going out in the sun – so much for theory. But in practice, it is anything but easy to get children to put sunscreen on, play in the shade or wear a sun hat. We have put together some ideas that might help you in making sun protection part of your everyday routine.

How to get sunscreen on your child

Sunscreen can prevent painful sunburn. This alone is a good enough reason to protect children from too much sun. Sunscreen is particularly useful if other sun protection strategies like shade or clothing are not feasible. But children do not necessarily like having sunscreen put on. Most of them will protest loudly or twist and turn until parents feel like giving up. Trying out one of these ideas might help make it easier for your child to accept sunscreen:

• Ritual: Putting sunscreen on is part of a set ritual; do it each time before leaving the house or at a certain place, for example.
• Play: First put dots on your child’s skin or draw a picture with the sunscreen before spreading it.
• Sunscreen competition: Whoever is first to put it on is the first to go outside or into the water.
• Design for children: Use sunscreen from a package specifically designed for children, decorated with colorful pictures for example. Tinted or scented sunscreens are another option.
• Spray instead of lotion: One product might be better liked than the other.
• Parents first: Put sunscreen on first. A lot of children like to imitate what they see.

How will my child stay in the shade?

Children are more likely to stay in the shade if they can play there. For parents this may mean going to an attractive play area in the shade or creating a new one. Sometimes you can find a shady playground – then the problem of sun protection is almost solved. If this is not the case, you might put up a wading pool underneath a tree or offer another attraction for the children. If there is no natural shade, a sun sail, a parasol or a big umbrella can help.

Sometimes children can be convinced to take it a bit slower at noontime, when the sun is particularly intense. You could read a book to them in the shade, for example. If their urge to move wins over, however, a hat and clothing will offer additional protection.

How will children keep their hats and clothes on?

Hats and caps offer good sun protection, especially for the face. Nevertheless, many children often take them off their head. The same thing often happens to their clothes, because most children like being naked. The following tips might help you deal with this problem:

• Choosing their own hat: Many children like trendy sun hats and caps. If they can choose their own hat, they often like wearing it a lot better. A broad rim and cover for the back of the neck offer optimal protection.
• Well-fitting hat: If the children are very young, often the only thing that helps is to tie the hat on. If the hat or cap fits well on older children, it will not fly off so easily when they are jumping about.
• Clothes with sun protection: There are shirts designed for the beach that can also be worn in water. They dry quickly and you do not have to put on too much sunscreen.
• Choosing their own clothes: Long-sleeved T-shirts, trousers and dresses might be more attractive if they are thought of as pirates’, fairies’ or firemen’s clothes. Fabrics that are darker or more tightly woven and clothes made of polyester or jeans offer the best protection.

What else is there to know?

It can easily happen that we think of everything – just not of ourselves. Children do notice how their parents deal with sun. You can set a good example.

And despite all the concerns about our children’s wellbeing: Children want to play and move about – if possible without any restrictions. It is unavoidable that they will get some more sun every now and then. Even though it is easy to feel bad about it, as long as you generally deal consciously with the sun it is not the end of the world if your child does get sunburn at some point. As it is often the case with children, a relaxed attitude also helps when dealing with sun exposure.

Find more comprehensive information on sun protection in our article.


Author: German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG)

© IQWiG (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care)