Seasonal & Holidays
8 Tips To Stay Safe And Have Fun This Summer
From wearing sunscreen to taking extra precautions around the water, here are some things you should know heading into the season.
This article is sponsored by Ring, a paid advertiser on Patch. All prices and savings listed in this post are as of publication and could change; Patch may earn a commission on products purchased.
Summer is the perfect time to head outdoors, enjoy the warmer weather and have a blast with loved ones. Here are eight tips to help ensure you and your family have a safe, healthy and fun-filled season.
1. Practice Water Safety
There’s nothing quite like taking a dip on a hot summer day. And if you plan on hitting the pool, lake or beach, it’s important to stay vigilant — especially when you’re with children. According to the American Red Cross, here are some essential things to remember about water safety:
- Don’t swim alone: Ensure that there is always a lifeguard or another person present.
- Supervise children around open water: If children are swimming, it’s required that an adult is present to watch them. Even if your child is not swimming, be sure to supervise them in the presence of any body of water.
- Lock up pools: Surround your pool with a four-sided isolation fence. Ensure it has a self-closing and self-latching gate that is out of a child's reach. For above-ground pools, secure, lock or remove steps and ladders.
- Have safety jackets on hand: Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your weight, size and water activity.
- Establish rules and safe behaviors: Some rules may include refraining from diving, staying away from drains, always swimming with a buddy and swimming sober.
Although there is no substitute for practicing proper water safety, you can consider how to protect your home this summer, too. Ring Spotlight Cam Pro can be an additional way to help protect critical spots outside your home, such as the pool area. With Color Night Vision, customizable Motion Detection, a pair of bright, motion-activated lights and a Siren, Spotlight Cam Pro helps protect your home around the clock — day or night, rain or shine.
With Spotlight Cam Pro, you can know quickly if something happens on your property. Using the Ring App, you can check on your home anytime from anywhere and get real-time video and audio with the Live View button.
Spotlight Cam Pro also includes a 30-day trial of Ring Protect¹. With a Ring Protect subscription, you can record videos to review, save and share. Ring videos that are stored in the cloud are stored temporarily for up to 180 days.²
2. Shade Yourself From The Sun
While spending some time safely in the sun has some benefits, such as helping stimulate the production of vitamin D, too much UV exposure can lead to sunburn and increased risk of skin cancers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying in the shade during midday hours, wearing clothing, hats and sunglasses to protect exposed skin and using sunscreen.
Apply SPF 15 or higher to any exposed skin on yourself and your children. Apply it at least 20 minutes before you are in the sun and reapply sunscreen every two hours. This mineral sunscreen made by Aveeno is a great option for kids. Formulated with sensitive skin-friendly ingredients, it’s tear-free and sweat- and water-resistant.
.png)
In addition to sunscreen, it’s a good idea to wear protective clothing when heading into the sun. Some clothing offers UV protection, such as this long-sleeve swimming shirt for women. It’s ideal for outdoor activities like running, swimming, hiking and fishing.
For ultimate protection from the sun, wear a hat with a brim all the way around to shade your face, ears, and the back of your neck. This unisex hat offers complete sun protection and is water repellant, so you can enjoy the great outdoors and know your head and face are shielded.
3. Stay Cool!
In the warmer weather months, we tend to spend more time under the hot sun. But when we’ve been exposed to high temperatures for long periods or participate in physical activity in the heat, it can lead to heat exhaustion, unless proper precautions are taken.
According to the CDC, some symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, clammy skin, weak pulse, nausea, muscle cramps, vomiting, and dizziness. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to move to a cool place, loosen your clothing, take a cool bath and sip water. Get medical help if you are throwing up or your symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to prevent heat-related illness:
- Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.
- Stay cool indoors with air conditioning.
- Limit outdoor activity to cooler hours of the day, like the morning and evening.
- Refrain from exercising in the heat.
Another way to avoid heat-related illness is to plan fun indoor activities — like bowling, visiting the aquarium or going to the ice cream shop — on those unbearably hot days. Whether you’ve decided to beat the heat by heading to the movies or swimming at the pool, you can always keep an eye on your home while you’re out with the help of Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 works on most homes and allows you to enjoy sharp HD video, motion detection and easy DIY installation. It also allows you to answer the front door from anywhere with pre-recorded responses and helps keep tabs on your home when you’re away.
If someone’s at the door, you can chat with them in real time from the Ring App, even when you’re out enjoying those summer activities. Video Doorbell Pro 2 comes with a 30-day trial of Ring Protect.¹
And if you’re working late at the office or you’re traveling this summer, Ring Indoor Cam can help you stay connected to home. If something’s up, you’ll know as soon as Indoor Cam does — whether you’re there or not. Get the whole picture in real time with 1080p HD video and Color Night Vision right from your phone. Indoor Cam features Live View and Two- Way talk, as well as a Siren that you can sound off from the Ring App.
Customizable motion zones allow you to choose specific areas you want Indoor Cam to cover to help reduce unnecessary alerts caused by ceiling fans or TV screens. You’ll get notified on your phone whenever it detects movement. You can even save what the camera records, get more detailed alerts, link cameras to your Ring Alarm, and more, with a Ring Protect subscription for as low as $3.99/month per device.³
4. Stay Hydrated!
Drinking fluids in the summer is vital to your health, regardless of how active or thirsty you are. The CDC recommends drinking eight ounces of water every 15-20 minutes if you're working or active in the heat. It’s also important to avoid sugary or alcoholic drinks, which can cause you to lose more body fluid.
%20copy.png)
Carrying a water bottle with you during hot summer days is a great way to stay hydrated. The Hydro Flask carries up to 24 ounces of water and will keep your beverages cold for up to 24 hours. It’s also cup holder compatible and includes a strap for easy and comfortable transport.
%20copy%202.png)
Make sure the little ones are staying hydrated, as well. This CamelBak water bottle for kids holds up to 12 ounces of water, is designed for smaller hands and is made with high-quality and safe materials. Plus, kiddos will love the delightful array of summer-themed water bottle designs.
5. Store Your Food Properly
Summer is the perfect time to plan a backyard barbecue or a picnic — but rising temperatures can also bring food safety risks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, perishable foods can be left out for only two hours before they need to be chilled or thrown out. However, if the temperature outside is above 90°F, food is only safe outside for one hour. If you leave food out any longer, germs that cause foodborne illness can grow rapidly.
The good news is there are plenty of ways to help keep your food safe:
- Pack coolers with bags of ice, gel packs or frozen water bottles so that your food will stay cold longer.
- Pack your cooler tight. Fill the rest with extra ice if you don’t fill your cooler.
- Reclose your cooler after getting food or drinks out.
- Don’t leave food out in the sun.
- When in doubt, throw it out.
6. Don’t Let Bugs Ruin The Fun
The more time you and your family spend outdoors this summer, the more prone you’ll be to bug bites and tick bites. Before playing in nature or hiking, it’s important to know how to protect your family from pesky insects. Here are some helpful prevention tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Use DEET-containing repellents to help ward off ticks and mosquitos. Be sure to follow the directions on the label to use the product safely.
- Check the product label to find the concentration of DEET in a product. The AAP recommends that repellents contain no more than 30 percent DEET when used on children.
- Once you’re back inside, wash the product off your child’s skin with soap and water to remove any repellent. Wash their clothing before they wear it again.
- Minimize exposure to ticks by covering the skin with clothing. If you’re in the woods, wear pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck the shirt in at the waist and tuck socks over your pants, hiking shoes or boots.
- Do tick checks by examining your child’s hair and skin at the end of the day.
7. Protect Yourself From Poisonous Plants
Poisonous plants, such as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, are present in many parts of the United States. The oil in these plants can cause an allergic reaction or rash, so it’s best to take some precautions, especially if you’re spending time gardening or in the woods.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, here are some tips to help prevent direct contact with poisonous plants:
- Cover your skin with clothing. If you are working with plants, be sure to wear gloves.
- Apply an ivy blocker to your skin. You can find these non-prescription products online and in-store.
- Machine-wash all the clothing you wore when coming inside.
- Take a lukewarm shower to wash away any oils the plants may have left on your skin.
8. Stock Your First Aid Kit
It’s typical for families to be on the go during the busy summer months. And from cuts and bug bites to sunburn and poison ivy rashes, you never know what summer ailments could pop up. Healthychildren.org recommends keeping a first aid kit in your home and in your car. These kits should include:
- Water bottle for cleaning out wounds
- Benadryl for insect bites, hives, and other allergic reactions
- EpiPen if you have a family member with a history of allergic reactions
- Numbing spray for cuts, scrapes and burns
- Ibuprofen and Tylenol for any headaches or other pains
- Dramamine, nausea medication for car sickness
- Sunblock
- Bug spray
- Afrin nasal spray for nosebleeds
- Hydrocortisone ointment for itches
- Tweezers for removing splinters
- Baby wipes
- Alcohol wipes
- Bandages
For your convenience, there are numerous pre-stocked first aid kits on the market, such as this 350-piece kit. It’s stocked with professional-grade medical and safety supplies such as bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, gloves, scissors and more.
%20copy%203.png)
Johnson & Johnson makes a super compact 160-piece first aid kit that's ideal for keeping in your car or bringing with you when you travel. It includes basic first-aid supplies like cleansing wipes, gauze pads, assorted bandages, rolled gauze, antibiotic cream, itch-stopping cream, acetaminophen caplets, an instant cold pack and more.
%20copy%204.png)
Whether you buy a first aid kit or put one together, check it frequently to ensure it's still stocked with any items you may need, such as medications your health care provider suggests. You should also check the expiration dates of products within your first ad kid and replace any out-of-date items.
Looking for more ways to help keep your home and family safe this summer? Ring has Video Doorbells, Cameras, Alarm Security Systems and more to help you build a ring of security around your home.⁴
¹Free trial not applicable for locations with an existing Ring Protect Plus or Protect Pro subscription. Terms and limitations apply. See Ring Protect Subscription Plans for more information.
²To keep videos beyond your trial, subscribe to Ring Protect, which allows videos to be stored in the cloud temporarily, up to 180 days. Changing your video storage time will only affect videos that are recorded after you adjust your storage time setting.
³ Your Ring videos in the cloud are stored temporarily, up to 180 days. Changing your video storage time will only affect videos that are recorded after you adjust your storage time setting. Check Ring Protect Subscription Plans for more information.
⁴ Ring Alarm and all Ring Alarm accessories require a subscription for in-app features and digital notifications, including digital arming / disarming and integration with other Ring, Echo, Alexa, and third party products. Subscription sold separately. View ring.com/protect-plans for pricing and details.