Sun safety activities for children (preschool to kindergarten) in child care centres, day camps and schools.
Make a Shade Tent
Learning Goal
This activity will ensure children understand the need for protection from the sun and realize that shade can help keep them stay cool and safe.
Category
What’s Needed
- Large sheet
- Clothesline
- Clothes pegs
- Stones or weights for corners
- Markers
Time Needed
What to Do
- Use markers to decorate the sheet or have the children decorate the sheet.
- String the clothesline between two high supports. Drape the sheet over, weighing down the corners. Secure the rope so that the pegs and weights will not tumble down on to the children.
- Ask the children:
- What are some other ways of making a sun shelter?
- What are some other ways of keeping cool in the sun?
Variations
- Children can bring a towel or blanket to sit on in the shade or bring books to read in the shade
- This activity works best on a hot, sunny day when the tent will create shade
(This content has been adapted/sourced with permission from the California Department of Public Health.)
My Special Friend
Learning Goal
Children will learn the importance of sun protection by protecting their “special friends” from the sun.
Category
What’s Needed
- Special friend e.g., doll, teddy bear, action figure, etc.
- Doll sized-clothes like hats and shirts
- Umbrella or towel for shade
- Empty sunscreen bottles
Time Needed
What to Do
Have each child show how they would protect their “special friend” from the sun by:
- Staying indoors when the sun is strong (UV Index greater than 3)
- Doing activities in the shade
- Putting on hats and shirts
- Pretending to put on sunscreen
(This content may be reproduced with permission from Toronto Public Health.)
Safe in the Sun Clothing Treasure Hunt/Checking Clothing
Learning Goal
Children will become familiar with sun safe materials and how to be sun safe.
Category
What’s Needed
- Items that provide sun safe coverage e.g., umbrella, wide brimmed hats, long sleeve shirts, pants, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Items that do not provide sun safe coverage e.g., tank tops, visors, shorts, beach toys, bathing suit, sandals
Time Needed
What to Do
- Hide all the items in different locations.
- Provide the children with “clues” to what the item is and where it might be located. For example: “When it`s outdoor play time, we wear these to protect our eyes”.
- Children can then hunt for the items as a group.
- Select one student to be the safe sun model and one student to be the unsafe sun model.
- As the children find the items, they can dress the appropriate models.
- Once all the items are found, you can review the importance of that sun safe item with the children.
(This content has been adapted/sourced with permission from Sun Safety Alliance.)
Sun Safe Beach Day Party
Learning Goal
Children will become familiar with sun safe materials and how to be sun safe.
Category
What’s Needed
- Items that provide sun safe coverage e.g., umbrella, wide brimmed hats, long sleeve shirts, pants, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Items that do not provide sun safe coverage e.g., tank tops, visors, shorts, beach toys, bathing suit, sandals
Time Needed
What to Do
- Have children dress up as if they were going to the beach.
- Ask the children:
- What things are you wearing that protect you from the sun?
- What does that item protect e.g., sunglasses protect your eyes.
(This content has been adapted/sourced with permission from Sun Safety Alliance.)
Sun Safety Songs
Learning Goal
This activity allows children to be creative in singing sun safety messages in a familiar song.
Category
What’s Needed
- Various types of clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Pictures of shaded areas
Time Needed
What to Do
- Ask children what they can do to be sun safe e.g. play in the shade, wear a hat and sunglasses, use sunscreen, etc.
- Make up words for a sun safety song that is sung to a familiar tune.
- Continue to add words or verses that describe sun safe practices.
Variations
Sung to “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”
Sample verses:
I am sun safe all day long, Ee ii ee ii oo
I wear a hat to shade my face, Ee ii ee ii oo
With a floppy hat here, and a floppy hat there
Here a hat, there a hat, everywhere a floppy hat
I am sun safe all day long, Ee ii ee ii oo
I am sun safe all day long, Ee ii ee ii oo
I put on sunscreen to save my skin, Ee ii ee ii oo
With a rub it in here, and a rub it in there
Here a rub, there a rub, everywhere we rub it in
I am sun safe all day long, Ee ii ee ii oo
(This content has been adapted/sourced with permission from Sun Safety Alliance.)
