 Image © WhitA; Flickr.com Part of being a child is playing outdoors. Outdoor play can offer a child many benefits, such as lessons in nature and physical movement skills. No matter how careful the child and parent are to follow safety rules, sometimes children get hurt. Below, you will find some typical minor injuries a child can receive while playing, as well as advice and safety tips for each. If the child's injury is an emergency, call 911 right away.
Minor Cuts and Scrapes For minor cuts and scrapes, rinse the wound with clear water to avoid irritation and rinse with an antiseptic. Next, apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. For the most minor wounds, leave the area uncovered, as a bandage can slow the healing process. For deeper minor wounds, apply a bandage of appropriate size to help prevent infection from getting in. Change the bandage and re-apply the antibiotic ointment twice daily, until the wound has closed. Large, deep, or puncture wounds should receive medical attention via 911 right away. Sunburn The best way to prevent sunburn is to apply sunscreen on your child every time he plays outside. Sunscreen that contains an SPF of 30 or higher (the higher, the better) and is PABA free is the best for use in children. If your child has a sunburn, gently place cool cloths on the affected area for a few minutes. Afterward, apply aloe gel. Do not apply lotions or water warmer than room temperature, as this will sting the sunburned area. Insect Bites and Stings To prevent an insect bite or sting from happening, use insect repellent with DEET. If your child has received an insect bite or sting, first remove the stinger (if applicable) by scraping it off with a credit card or similar surface. Wash the area thoroughly. Do not squeeze the affected area. This can spread any venom. Apply an antiseptic to remove germs and ease the itch. If a bite is swollen, apply an antihistamine cream. If a bite or sting becomes hard or infected, contact your child's pediatrician. Allergic Reactions During outdoor play, it is possible for your child to experience allergic reactions to insect bites or stings, plants, and more. Signs of an allergic reaction include abnormal swelling, rash/hives, having trouble breathing, fever, and nausea, and even anaphylaxis. If your child has a known allergy, it is important to keep an emergency safety kit containing epinephrine shots, in case of anaphylaxis. If this occurs, treat your child accordingly and get emergency help right away by calling 911. Bruises and Bumps Outdoor play for children often includes dodging balls, running fast, and even just playing rough. Bruises and bumps happen frequently in many children just from playing. If your child gets a bruise or bump, first check the area to be sure that the injury isn't more serious. Place a cold compress, such as an ice pack or frozen vegetables on the affected area to reduce swelling. Contact a doctor if needed. Take proper concussion cautions if the injury is on the head. This is not an all-inclusive list. However, it should help inform you regarding typical outdoor injuries and risks for children. Remember that your child’s licensed physician is the best source of information. Discuss these and other risks with that physician to compare and be sure you are doing the right thing. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network  Image © Redcorn Studios [Matt]; Flickr.com Parents and teachers can make exercise fun with a unique way to cool off and get active on a sunny day. Combining fitness with fun is my favorite way to keep kids active. One activity kids will enjoy playing with their friends is the "Water Bucket Relay Race."
In this water relay race, the kids will get pretty wet, so be forewarned. To play Water Bucket Relay Race, a few supplies are needed. All kids who play will need a pair of sweatpants and a bucket. All buckets should be exactly the same. A kiddie pool is also needed for this active game. First, determine a start and finish line for the kids. The kiddie pool should be at the finish line. The buckets should be at the start line. Each of the kids will stand in front of their own bucket. At the start of the race, each one of the kids will race alongside each other to the kiddie pool and jump in, which should soak their sweatpants. They then should run the race back to their own bucket and squeeze as much water as possible into it. Game play continues until one player's bucket has been filled completely. That player is the winner. If there are more than 10 kids playing, the game can be adapted into a team relay game. The kids should really like this active game and have so much fun running back and forth. The determined looks on their faces while attempting to fill the buckets will make you smile. For those concerned about the physical challenges, when the pants become soaked, it creates extra weight, which gives a good workout, in addition to the racing itself. To make this race even more challenging, try adding a mini obstacle course in between the pool and bucket. One idea for a mini obstacle course is to put out some cones to weave through, a row of batons to jump over, or a row of tires to step through. Be sure to have drinking water, towels and dry clothing on hand for when the race is completed. The kids should enjoy this active race, but when it is over, they will also be happy to get refreshed. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by twid via Flickr.com It's hot outside, but the kids are bored with nothing to do. As a mom and former nanny, I've had to be creative in similar situations numerous times. Playing some sports can quickly make the kids even more hot and tired - and cranky too. Not fun at all! One way to solve that problem is to add a variation to the sports that allows for some cooling off. Water Balloon Golf can keep the kids busy for a while without the summer sun ruining the fun. This is basically a more active version of golf.
Materials children's golf clubs, tees, and balls (enough for all kids who will play) garden spade small plastic cups water balloons Game Setup Before game play, someone will need to set up the golf course. This can easily be done in the backyard or at a local park. Map out the course and dig a hole the size of the cup bottoms for each golf-ball hole. Stick the cups into the holes. If this is done at a local park, you will need plastic holes for the golf balls, instead of the garden spade and cups. This is just because you don't want to be digging up property that isn't yours. How to Play Water Balloon Golf This game of golf is played almost the same as a regular game of golf or miniature golf, depending on preference and skill level of the kids. Each kid needs to have a golf club and ball. It helps if each child has a particular color ball and all colors are different. This way there are no disagreements over which belongs to whom. You also may wish to take a permanent marker or strip of tape and use it to mark each golf club. If possible, match the tees to the balls as well. This helps avoid some of the arguments. Once the kids are all setup, the first player can start by hitting his or her ball to make an attempt at the first hole. Anytime the player does not get a hole-in-one, someone will throw a water balloon at that player. The player can choose to run to try to avoid it, but if it's extra hot outside, they may readily welcome it. Only one balloon is allowed for each try by a player. If the water balloon lands on the ground without breaking, the player can pick it up and throw it at someone else. This can be repeated until the balloon breaks open. Also, if that player misses the hole-in-one, once the balloon throwing is finished, it is the next player's turn. Game play continues until each player has completed the golf course. Be sure to have enough water balloons to allow for several missed tries for each player. If there are extra water balloons after the kids play Water balloon Golf, the kids can continue throwing water balloons at each each other. *Remember to tell kids not to throw too hard and also not to throw at faces or deliberately try to hurt each other. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network The Importance of Toddler Shadow Discovery: "I'm Right There - There's Me!" (Activities Included)2/12/2015
by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by Keoni Cabral via Flickr.com "I'm right there! There's me!" Those are the words my son exclaimed as a toddler when he had just discovered his shadow was a mirror image of himself. Making this connection is an important step in a child's life. It shows the ability to distinguish connections between two objects. In this case, he is connecting his shadow to himself. Whether your child has made this distinction or not, it is important to help this discovery along. As an experienced mother, homeschooler, and care provider, I have had plenty of experience as well as study in this subject and others pertaining to childhood development. Below you will see activities for both toddlers who have already discovered their shadows, as well as those who have not. Any of the activities can be done with either group of toddlers. If the lighting is right outdoors, you may do these activities outdoors. If not, just get near a bright light or lamp in the house.
Shadow Puppets Perhaps the most common shadow game is making shadow puppets from your hands and reflecting them onto the wall or sidewalk. Toddler favorites usually include a bunny, a dinosaur, a dog, a cat, and even people. Draw on your child's interests and be creative. For some toddlers, it may only take the easy talking mouth to entertain them. But, whatever you do, be sure to expose them to a variety of interesting characters and shapes. Depending on your child's coordination and attention span, you may be able to teach him or her how to do these on their own. That's where the game gets even more fun. When I Move, He Moves, Too! For this one, all you need to do is show your child that your shadow moves with you. Have the child move as well, showing the child that their own shadow will move when they move as well. Keep the game going by doing funny things and focusing on what the shadow does, too. Some toddlers will play this game for a long time, others will only last for a few minutes. Try to keep it interesting enough to last around 5 to 10 minutes. Taller/Shorter In this game you guess it, you'll focus on doing things that make the shadow shorter and taller. You can crouch down and come back up for one idea. Another way to do this is that sometimes when you back up, the shadow grows taller. Doing the reverse will make it shorter again. Experiment with your toddler, remembering to explain about tall and short. Bigger/Smaller This is similar to taller/shorter, except that with this one, you'll do what you can make the shadow wider and larger. If you are doing it inside, drawing yourself away from the wall and towards the wall can produce results with this. If you're outside, it's a matter of where and how the sun is shining,so experiment to find out what works. Shadow Show In this activity, you will actually put on a shadow puppet show for the child. It would be like a puppet show, except with shadows instead. To make it even better, all lights can be turned out and the show presenter can get behind a large screen, consisting of a white or light colored sheet. The light source should be coming from behind the screen. Just put on the show like you normally would on the wall, except your hands won't be in the way of the shadow. Be creative and make sure the characters talk and interact with one another. Favorite Story In Shadow This is very similar to the shadow show, except you will be actually reading and acting out your child's favorite story. You may need a page turner behind the screen for you, unless you have memorized the story. Note to parents: The toddler age is an important age of discovery. Doing activities such as those listed above can help your child develop important discovery and learning skills. Be sure to practice discovery and learning skills each day through play and interaction. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image (c) Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved You wanted to go outside with the kids today, but instead it's raining on your parade. So what? As long as there's no lightning or other severe weather involved, head out anyway. There are plenty of activities you can do in the rain with the kids. My kids and I love being outdoors and we take every opportunity we get - rain or shine. Here are some of our favorite outdoor activities for rainy days.
Dance Sing fun songs together and dance in the rain. Rain should be a cause for celebration, not gloominess. The kids might like to do classic childhood song and dance routines or they might be interested on more popular tunes. Either way, turn up the vocals and turn on the moves. Even though it's already raining, this is a good opportunity to teach the kids about Native rain dances. Sing Silly Songs You and the kids can also make up silly songs while dancing in the rain. Observe what's going on during the rainfall and sing about that. You might also sing about the silly dance someone is doing. There are also many classic rain songs that you and the kids can sing together. You may have sung them together many times before. If so, it should be easy to come up with something. Look For Worms Some of you might be turning up your faces at this one. But this is a great time to study worms. They like to come out during and after a rainfall. Put them in enclosed dark container filled with dirt. Later you can use them for scientific observation. You can even sing silly songs about worms while doing this. It might help take away the creepy part for kids who are afraid to touch them. For ytounger kids, you may also want to use my fun preschool lesson plan on worms. Just Feel It Have you ever just stood in the rain and let it fall on you? You and the kids can do this together. Talk about what it feels like. See which animals and insects like to come out in the rain and which ones hide. How long does it take before everyone gets soaked? Is it seconds or minutes? Are there certain clothing items that take longer to wet than others? Catch The Rain If you know beforehand that it's going to rain, stick a bucket outside before it starts. Leave it there the entire time it's raining. This can sit there while you and the kids are enjoying the other rainy day activities. Once the rain has stopped, get a ruler and measure how many inches are in the bucket. This is one way to measure the rainfall. Once you're done measuring it, you can reuse the bucket water to water a plant - preferably an indoor one that didn't catch the rain. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network Eco-Friendly Parenting Tips for Going to the Park by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image (c) Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved Going to the park with the kids is fun. But it also can be bad for the environment if you aren't careful. I try my best to teach my kids greener ways to do everything, including going to the park. What's greener than the park? That may sound true in retrospect, but waste and mistreatment makes it not so green. So, how do you green your park trips?
Pack a Green Lunch When packing lunch for the park, be cautious of the potential waste. Whenever possible, avoid disposable items and go for reusable, BPA free, earth-friendly containers and dishes. If you absolutely must use disposable, at least use something biodegradable or recyclable. Paper, plastic, and styrofoam disposable dinnerware and drinkware may seem easier. But at what cost? These items are often non-biodegradable and sit in landfills destroying the earth. Do you know how many trees are cut down and how many toxic chemicals are emitted into the air to create these items? The most green lunch would likely be made of 100% natural and locally grown foods, not be packaged in a container, and be fully consumed with nothing left over. However, some people will not comply out of convenience. Therefore, the above tips will help reduce some of the waste. Reduce Waste at the Park In line with creating less waste, teach your kids not to litter at the park. Anything you bring with you should go home with you. If it's trash, it goes in the proper receptacle. If it's recyclable, same thing. Some parks do not have a recycle bin. In that case, take it home with you and recycle it yourself. Keeping the park clean helps foster a healthy environment, which in turn is good for the kids. Avoid bringing unnecessary items to the park with you. That includes lunch items. But it also includes toys and other entertainment items. If the kids color at the park, don't let their papers litter the ground. If they blow bubbles, be sure the bottles and wands are taken home for rinse and reuse or recycling. Visit Condo Blues for an eco-friendly bubble recipe. In addition to reducing your own waste when at the park with the kids, you can help combat the problem further. Help clean up other people's waste from the park. Go through the same routine you would with your own trash. Dispose of it properly, collecting recyclable items or placing them in receptacles if available. Avoid Chemicals Perfumes, products for the car, cleaning supplies, and even some toys (such as commercially sold bubbles) contain chemicals. These chemicals can pollute the park. Not only does this destroy the plants, but think of the animals that live in the park. It can be hazardous to their health and even deadly. If you absolutely must use some of these products, at least go for an all-natural green version. Impact of Greening the Park Routine You may not think one family cleaning up after themselves and others at the park can make a difference. Think again. How many times do you visit the park in a year? How much waste could be accrued in that time period if not picked up. In two years? Five? Looking at the big picture can help illustrate how much impact you and the kids could have on he environment. It's your choice whether to make that impact negative or positive. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer  Image (c) Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved My kids absolutely love the outdoors. If you'd like yours to do the same, perhaps some of our family habits will inspire you to get your kids out there. Raising kids who love the outdoors is not as hard as you may be thinking right now. It's best to start early. But it's never too late to get in on the outdoor fun and adventures. Make the outdoors a part of your normal family routine. When the kids and I go to any nearby stores, we always walk. We found a walking trail in our area that leads to pretty much every destination we have nearby. Whenever possible, we walk on this trail. We are a green family and try not to use vehicles if we don't have to. If we can walk or use a city bus, we will. This involves a great deal of walking. But we turn it into an adventure by using the trails or whatever else is around us. If we aren't outdoors in that way, you'll catch us outside reading, playing in the garden, and more. I work at home and the kids are homeschooled. So you'll even catch us working and studying outdoors. What each family does will vary. But the point is to be outdoors as much as possible.
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Lyn Lomasi is founder and owner of the Brand Shamans network. She is your brand healing, soul healing, marketing & content superhero to the rescue! Running a network of websites, tackling deadlines single-handedly, and coaching fellow writers, brands, & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is her top priority.
While rescuing civilians from boring content and brands, this awesomely crazy family conquers the world, managing Intent-sive Nature while going on Upstream Parenting adventures & lessons, sometimes in an RV. They strive to cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, they settle for rescue dogs and cats. By supporting us, you support a single parent, healer, and minority small business that donates to and/or stands for several causes, including homeless pets, homeless people, trans youth, equality, helping starving artists, and more! A portion of all proceeds from our all-inclusive store, Intent-sive Nature goes toward worthy causes. For guidance in the world of freelance writing or for advice on her specialty topics, Ask Lyn. Archives
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