Wintertime is upon us in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and that means yards will soon be covered in snow drifts, lakes and ponds will be iced over, and fires will be crackling in the hearth. That means snowball fights, ice-skating, sledding, and cozying up with cups of hot cocoa! And while these activities are a special part of the season, they do come with their own safety concerns.
At Cornerstone Academy, we want your family to have fun while still being cautious this winter. That’s why we’ve provided a few cold weather safety tips to follow in order to ensure nobody gets hurt around the holidays.
Winter Safety Tips for Kids
Keep an Eye on Them
Small children tend to require constant supervision, and this sentiment remains true when it comes to watching winter activities. As easy as it may seem to let your kids go out and play in the backyard on their own, it’s important to keep a close eye on them in case a problem arises. Injuries can happen in the blink of an eye thanks to falling icicles, slippery surfaces, and compacted snow. While you don’t have to hover over them and watch their every move, it’s good to stay diligent so you’re there to help at the first sign of trouble.
Dress Them Warm
When it’s finally time to go outside and play, the last thing your small child is likely going to want to do is take the time to bundle up. However, make sure they’re dressed head to toe in warm clothing before they leave the house. Children should wear long sleeves and warm pants under their winter coats and snow pants—and don’t forget snow boots, gloves or mittens, and a warm hat. This ensures that when they’re doing things like sledding, building forts, or throwing snowballs, they’ll stay cozy and warm.
One important thing to remember is that in the winter, clothes can easily get very wet. Swap out those wet items for dry ones from time to time. Mixing the wet with the cold is often a quick way to make your child sick. You should also be aware of clothing hazards—although items like scarves are good at keeping your child warm, they can easily get tangled in things. If you do have your child wear a scarf, make sure you tuck in the ends so they aren’t hanging loose.
Remember to Take Breaks
Kids are used to being outside and playing all day long, but in the cold winter months, it is important for them to take a break and warm up every once in a while! This rings especially true in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin, where temperatures can get down well below freezing and hypothermia can quickly become a real concern. Signs of hypothermia in children can include shivering, pale skin, slurred speech, tiredness, clumsiness, confusion, and slowness of breath. If you start to notice these symptoms, take your children inside immediately and change them into dry clothes, wrap them in a blanket, and make them a warm drink.
Be Careful of Potentially Dangerous Activities
While most winter activities are harmless and can be a lot of fun, there are a few that can be dangerous and require an extra layer of attention. Sledding, for example, is a favorite winter pastime that many look forward to. However, did you know that more than 25,000 kids are sent to the emergency room each year due to sledding-related injuries? To prevent this from happening, teach your children how to be aware of their surroundings on the sledding hill, and how to ride their own sled in a safe (but still fun!) manner.
Kids will also oftentimes use the large piles of snow on the side of the road to dig a tunnel through. While this can be a fun and creative activity, it’s also very dangerous, especially when those makeshift tunnels collapse. This is an especially critical activity to monitor on the off chance a child gets trapped under a pile of snow they can’t get out from on their own.
Use Caution Around Heat Sources
In the winter, there are often many heat sources at work—fires crackling in the hearth, holiday candles burning on tables, and space heaters plugged into walls. And while all these things make your home cozy and warm during the colder months, it’s important to exercise caution when having them around children. Teach your kids to be careful when around a heat source, and to not play or mess around with it in any way. Show them what to do in case of a fire, such as the age-old “stop, drop, and roll” and where to safely exit the house.
Contact Us Today
The winter is meant to be enjoyable for both kids and parents—let yourself have a good time while still exercising caution by following important these safety tips. If you’re interested in giving your child more opportunities to take part in safe yet fun winter activities, consider sending them to daycare! Cornerstone Academy serves Kenosha-area children, and we run carefully supervised winter activities, crafts, movies, and educational lessons! Contact us today for more information.
