Essential Tips for Sun Safety for Babies and Toddlers

7 days ago
2 min read

One of our lead ambassadors from Nova Scotia, Brittany, has written this blog post about sun safety for your littles!

My name is Brittany, and I work as a community pharmacist with a specialty in Travel Health. When I’m not at work, I am outside with my family as much as possible. It’s spring here on the east coast of Canada, which means hiking and beach season is here. I wanted to share some tips and tricks about sun safety to keep you and your little ones safe while out exploring.

a hiking mom carrying her baby in nature

Must-haves for getting outside with littles:

Sun hat with a brim that protects both the face and the back of the neck
Sunglasses with 100% UV protection
Breathable, loose-fitting fabrics
Lots of water (Kids don’t necessarily feel thirsty when they’re playing and should be reminded to drink lots of fluids, especially when outside in the warmer weather)
A portable fan that can attach to your stroller
Sun Umbrella, if there won’t be a shady spot where you are going
Utilize the stroller sunshade or the sunshade on a structured carrier
Sunscreen that is safe for babies/children (see notes on sunscreen below)

Sunscreen tips*

For babies and kids, I recommend the use of a physical sunscreen that contains Zinc Oxide or titanium dioxide.
Sunscreen should be SPF 30 and broad-spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays)
Make sure to use a sunscreen approved by the Canadian Dermatology Association
Apply sunscreen 20 minutes before exposure
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to the ears, nose, back of neck and legs, and tops of feet
Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating heavily
Check the expiry date of your sunscreen. If it has expired, it may be less effective.
Use a lip balm with SPF 15