Child Safety Category
Summer Safety Tips
Summer brings the joy of the outdoors and in order to enjoy it safely we have to remember sun safety tips and how to avoid other summertime accidents that can put a damper on summer fun.
- Keep Heat in Check – Kids love to play outside and sometimes forget that with heat comes heat exhaustion. Make sure your child is constantly re-hydrating with water while playing outside.
- Banish Bugs – Prevent pesty mosquitoes, ticks and other bugs from having a feeding frenzy on your child. Be sure to spray them with insect repellent when they are outside during high bug times.
- Poison Control – make sure your children know what poison oak and poison ivy look like so they can avoid it. If they do come in contact with it, be sure to wash the area with soap and water for ten minutes and apply calamine lotion. Always call a doctor to make sure it doesn’t turn into anything serious.
What summer safety tips do you have to share?
Pool Safety Tips
Temperatures are reaching above 90° and nothing can cool you off more than a nice dip in the pool, but keep in mind a few pool safety rules.
- Never leave your child unattended even in a small kiddie pool. It only takes a few inches of water for a child to drown.
- Keep your child away from parts of the pool that can become entrapments like drains, pipes, etc.
- If your child is missing, look for her in the pool first.
- Do not let your children run at the pool or jump into shallow water.
- Keep a telephone near your pool in case there is an emergency.
- Keep pool chemicals locked away.
- Make sure all caregivers know pool safety rules.
A little knowledge and prevention can help stop pool related deaths. For more tips, visit the Government’s pool safety site. And don’t forget the sunscreen!
Today Is SIDS Awareness Day
Today is SIDS Awareness Day and here at Kolcraft we feel this issue is too important to ignore.
SIDS is the number one cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age. This is a terrible tragedy and one that little by little research is shedding more light upon, but more funding is needed to bring SIDS’ numbers down. Check out Spring for SIDS and how you can help.
Ways to Lower Risk of SIDS:
- Always put your baby on her back to sleep.
- Give baby his own safe sleeping space.
- Put baby to sleep on a firm crib mattress.
- Keep baby’s sleeping space free of pillows, blankets and toys.
- Do not use crib bumpers.
- Keep the air in baby’s room fresh by using a fan.
- Do not allow smoking around your baby. Even smokey clothes can impact your baby.
- Limit baby’s exposure to infection. Feel free to ask people to wash their hands before holding your baby.
Plan and Prepare Your Family Before Natural Disasters Happen
Normally on Fun Fridays we have a craft, activity or fun-family recipe for you to do with your kids. Because of the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and possibly Hawaii and the West Coast of the Americas, we felt it is important to look at how to prepare your family for natural disasters.
Natural Disasters can happen at any time without warning so it is important to have a plan in place that everyone in your family is aware of before tragedy strikes. It is important to have a plan in place for when you are home or on vacation.
You will want to protect your family by:
- Getting informed
- Planning for emergencies
- Assembling a disaster supplies kit
- Getting your children involved
FEMA has a very helpful website with tips on how to do all the above plus much more. They also have a very helpful website for kids with information on natural disasters that is presented in a way that informs children without scaring them.
Our thoughts are with all the families impacted by this recent natural disaster.
6 Tips for A Safe & Fun Halloween
Princesses, ghosts and other creatures will soon be going house to house for trick or treating. Whether your child is dressing up as a cuddly or a creepy critter, a few Halloween tips can keep this holiday from being a scary one.
- Makeup vs Masks – Make sure your child’s costume is safe. Masks tend to inhibit vision which can be especially dangerous for little ones who are already a bit unsteady on their feet. A great alternative is to use age-appropriate makeup instead of a mask.
- When the Sun Sets – If your child is trick or treating at night, be sure he has reflective tape on his costume, a flashlight and knows safety rules before he heads out.
- Costume Material - Your little girl couldn’t look more precious as a sparkling princess, but nothing will make her Halloween more scary than an itchy costume. Be sure to try it on beforehand and if the netting or material is itchy, see if leggings, tights or a shirt underneath will take away the scratchy feeling.
- Simplicity is Key – Cumbersome costumes on your little one can make it more difficult for him to enjoy Halloween. If he is tied down by an intricate costume you will be spending more time fixing it than allowing him to just have fun. A simple outfit will make him feel dressed up but still free to play and enjoy the holiday.
- Size Matters – Costumes that are too long- whether that be a long dress, cape, or accessory- can be a tripping hazard for little ones.
- Little Ms. or Mr. Manners – Halloween is a great time to reinforce manners by making sure your child always says “thank you” after he receives his Halloween treats. If your child grabs a handful of candy instead of one piece, remind her of the importance of sharing with the other children who are trick or treating.
What tips do you have for a safe and fun Halloween?
Kolcraft Receives JPMA Award at KIDS Reception
Andy Newmark, VP of Sales & Marketing and Tom Kolcraft, President accept the JPMA award
Kolcraft was very excited and grateful to have received an award from the JPMA for being a founding member of JPMA in helping to set and maintain safety standards for the baby product industry for the past 59 years.
Kolcraft’s President, Tom Koltun, also spoke about the importance and reward of companies working with KIDS. KIDS is a non-profit organization that helps families in distressed situations. Often when parents think what they want for their children, they think of their child having a healthy, happy future, but for some parents all they can hope for is some help to get their baby the essentials like a bottle or a bassinet. Kolcraft has been very active with KIDS in order to bring them hope for a future.
Janince Weinman from KIDS & Tom Koltun
And no ABC Show is complete without some fun with friends from various parenting media. Last night we were able to enjoy a fun evening at Bodero with members of Parenting Magazine & Baby Talk.
Kolcraft marketing team with Parenting & Baby Talk team
It’s been a fun week here in Vegas & we are so glad you have been following our adventures. Stay tuned for some new Kolcraft Buzz tomorrow that debuted here at the ABC Show!
5 Tips to Reduce SIDS
October is SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month. There are a lot of great sites with info on SIDS, but we wanted to highlight a few here.
Five tips for lowering your child’s risk of SIDS:
- Always place baby on her back to sleep.
- Don’t put toys or loose bedding in baby’s sleep space.
- Give baby his own sleep space such as a bassinet.
- Keep baby warm with a thicker onesie than with blankets.
- Keep baby’s sleep area smoke free.
What tips have your found helpful with your own children?
Back To School Safety Tips
The school year is already underway, but it’s never too late to go over a few important safety tips with your children.
- Phone Number - Make sure your child knows your phone number. If they can’t remember it, write it down, tuck it into their backpack and let them know where it is.
- Set Rules - Set safety rules for pick up. Let your child know that only “safe people” will pick them up and have no more than 3 “safe people.” Let you child know who those people are. If different people pick your child up on different days, remind them before they leave the car who is picking them up. Tell them that under no circumstances should they get in a car with a stranger. If a stranger approaches they should run to a teacher, other parent they know, or crossing guard.
- Walking – If your child walks to school, make sure you walk the route with them at least once. Tell them to stay away from vacant lots, abandoned buildings, etc. It’s best to have a buddy system where your child walks home with friends or siblings.
- School Bus Rules – Make sure your child knows proper safety when exiting a school bus; wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before entering or exiting, look both ways before crossing the street to catch the bus or after leaving it, never run in front of the bus or cross the street directly in front of the bus. It’s hard for the bus driver to see little people when they are that close to the bus.
- Labels- Do not put your child’s full name on backpacks, lunch boxes or anything that can be seen when carried. Use initials instead.
What back to school safety rules do you have?
How To Protect Your Child from Being Left In A Hot Car
To date there have been 28 deaths in 2010 of children due to hyperthermia (heat stroke) from being left in hot vehicles. This tragedy happens for a number of reasons from caretakers being preoccupied and forgetting, to children playing in cars and getting locked in. As the weather only promises to get hotter, this Tip Tuesday we want to look at a few tips to keep in mind that can help prevent this tragedy from occurring with your child.
- Never leave your child alone in a car even if you are running a “quick” errand. Cars can heat up to over 20 degrees of the temperature outside in a matter of minutes.
- Put a large doll or teddy bear in your child’s car seat when not in use so that when you do put your child in the car seat, you put the doll in the front seat next to you as a visual reminder that your child is in the back seat.
- Put your briefcase, lunch or purse on the floor near the back seat so you are forced to go to the back seat and see your child when you leave your car.
- Lock your car when it is not in use. Your car is a great hiding spot for kids playing hide and seek. They can easily get locked in your car and overheat.
- Hide your car keys so your child cannot find them & accidentally lock himself inside it.
- Make sure anyone who watches your child knows these tips and follows them.
- If you see a child left alone in a car, be proactive and call 911. Your call could save a child from hyperthermia.
What tips do you have to help prevent hyperthermia?
Safe Sleeping Spaces for Baby
You want the best for your baby including a night of peaceful and safe sleep. A few things to keep in mind when putting baby to sleep for the night or a nap.
- Make sure baby’s sleeping space is free from clutter – blankets, toys, pillows, etc.
- Place baby on his back when putting him down to sleep. This position reduces the incidence of SIDS. Make sure your caregivers know to do this as well.
- When traveling, it is best to bring your own playard or bassinet for baby since you don’t know how old or in what condition hotel cribs will be.
We love the March of Dimes website for great resources and tips for creating a safe sleeping environment for baby.
