7 essential summer safety tips for kids

Medically reviewed by Dr. Betsy Koickel, MD on July 15th, 2025.

Summer brings longer days, warmer weather and endless opportunities for family fun. However, all this extra freedom and excitement can come with new risks. During summer break, kids naturally push boundaries, trying new activities and spending more time outdoors unsupervised. 

As parents, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and take proactive steps to keep your kiddos safe while allowing them to enjoy everything summer has to offer. Take a look at our top summer safety tips for families. 

1. Be mindful when you mow.

Mowing the lawn is a common summertime activity, but lawnmowers cause over 77,800 injuries in the United States every year, with more than 9,300 involving children. They’re the leading cause of amputations in children. 

So it’s important to exercise extreme caution to keep your kids safe while you’re mowing. Make sure you clear the lawn of any sticks or rocks before you mow, and make sure your children are at a safe distance while you’re mowing. It’s also important to emphasize to children that even though mowers may look fun to use (especially riding mowers!), they’re dangerous machines, not toys.

2. Swim safely.

Swimming at the pool or enjoying a day at the beach are popular summertime activities. Unfortunately, there are more than 4,500 drowning deaths every year in the U.S, which means on average, ten people die every day in drowning accidents. It remains the leading cause of death for children under four.

But swimming can be safe and fun. Make sure you supervise your children while they’re swimming, sign them up for swimming lessons, wear flotation devices if they’re young swimmers and wear a life jacket when engaging in boating or other water activities.

 3. Encourage hydration.

When your kids are having fun outside in the warm weather, the last thing they want to do is stop playing to take a water break. But it’s important to remember that children get dehydrated faster than adults because their small bodies contain lower reserves of fluid. So, encourage your kids to take frequent sips of water while they’re outdoors. A helpful rule of thumb is to make sure your child is urinating every 4-6 hours.

It’s also important to seek urgent medical attention if your child develops signs of dehydration, including sunken eyes, flushed skin, dry mouth, lack of tears when crying, infrequent urination and lethargy.

 4. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

More cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year than all other forms of cancer combined. Exposure to UV rays accounts for 90% of skin cancers, and people who sustain more than five sunburns in their lifetime double their risk of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

The good news is that using a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 every day decreases your risk of skin cancer by a whopping 50%!

Make sure to apply sunscreen on your little ones before letting them go outside. Remember to reapply sunscreen every few hours if you’re spending an extended amount of time outdoors and after your kids have played in the water. 

Be mindful of other symptoms because it can be more than just a sun rash. For example, during spring and summer, the disease hand, foot and mouth is more prevalent and will also give a distinct rash.

5. Don’t drink and drive (or boat).

Whether it’s at a backyard barbecue, an outdoor dinner party or a family vacation, lots of parents treat themselves to "adult beverages" during the summer months. While enjoying a drink or two can be a fun summer activity, parents need to make responsible choices about alcohol for their kids’ sake. 

Sadly, one in five child passenger deaths occurs because of an intoxicated driver, and most often it’s the driver of the car the child is riding in. So never drive a motor vehicle or operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

6. Monitor food temperature.

Grilled meats and mayonnaise-based salads are staples of many summer meals. But 9.9 million people are sickened from foodborne illnesses every year in the U.S., so it’s imperative to make sure you monitor the temperature of the food you’re serving your kids. 

Make sure meat is cooked to the recommended temperature, and don’t leave perishable food sitting out for more than two hours and no longer than one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.

7. Leave fireworks to the professionals.

There are more than 7,500 firework injuries in the U.S. each year, with more accidents occurring in June and July than at any other time of year. Sparklers and illegal fireworks account for the majority of these injuries. Since less than 1% of firework injuries happen at public firework displays, it’s safer to leave fireworks to the professionals to keep you and your kids safe.

Visit an Urgent Care

If you need help assessing and treating any injuries or want to discuss summer safety for kids, come see the experts at an urgent care near you. You can walk in without an appointment, or save your spot online. We’ll have you back to feeling better in no time. We are open 365 days a year and are here to help the whole family.

Summer Safety FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about summer safety tips for kids.

What is the most important summer safety tip for kids?

Water safety is the most crucial summer safety tip for kids. Between 3,500 and 4,000 people drown in the U.S. each year, and drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. 

How much sunscreen should I use on my child?

A good rule of thumb is to apply around one ounce of sunscreen to all exposed areas of your child’s body. Buy a sunscreen with 30 SPF or higher and make sure it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

What are the first signs of dehydration in children? 

Early signs of dehydration in kids include:

• Dry mouth
• Flushed skin
• Infrequent urination 
• Lethargy
• Sunken eyes

Besides what’s on the list, are there other key summer safety tips for kids?

Yes, some additional summer safety tips include:

• Use insect repellent on your kids, especially if they will be in wooded areas
• Teach them how to spot and avoid poisonous plants 
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion or dehydration
• Practice bike safety by wearing helmets
• Never leave the kids in the car

How can I tell if my child has heat exhaustion?

Signs of heat exhaustion include clammy skin, weakness, dizziness, headaches or confusion. If your child experiences any of these signs, it is important to get them out of the heat and give them fluids. Seek medical attention if symptoms don’t improve after cooling off.

What should I know about using insect repellent on children?

Choose a repellent with no more than 30% DEET or natural alternatives. Avoid applying it to their hands or face, and wash it off once you get back inside. 

What are the most important fireworks safety rules for families?

Fireworks are best enjoyed at community gatherings, not at home. If you do fireworks at home, never let small children handle fireworks, use them only outdoors and always have water nearby. 

References: 

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16421702/
2. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0514-vs-drowning.html
3. https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/skin-cancer/risk-factors/uv-rays
4. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5751410/
6. https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/php/data-research/foodborne-illness-burden/
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8641913/
8. https://www.stopdrowningnow.org/drowning-statistics/