Being out of the house either alone or with your child can provide you with fresh air and a change of scenery. This can refresh and energize you! The following information and websites have tips to help ensure that you have a safe and fun outing.
Childcare
Leaving your child in the care of another person can be difficult for both you and your child, especially the first time. To ensure that your child is safe and happy, you need to find someone both you and your baby like, trust, and can depend on. Here are some websites to help you learn how to decide what to do.
Daycare Canada: How to choose child care
Child Care Aware: Child Care 101
Women’s Health Information: Healthy Pregnancy – Babysitters and Child Care
KidsHealth: Choosing Child Care and Choosing and instructing a babysitter
Playgrounds
Playgrounds are good places for mothers and children to play and be active. The best way for you to ensure your child's safety at the playground is to play with them. To learn more about keeping your children safe on the playground, visit these websites:
Safe Kids Canada: Playground Safety
KidsHealth: Playground Safety
Public Health Agency of Canada: Playground Safety
Health Canada: Consumer Product Safety – Playground Equipment
Weather
It is fun to be outdoors, but it is important to protect ourselves from the sun’s harmful rays or winter’s cold. Although families can enjoy swimming and water play as part of a healthy active lifestyle, water can be dangerous for small children unless you take the proper safety precautions.
The websites below provide information on children’s exposure to winter and summer weather, as well as how to keep children safe around water.
Safe Kids Canada Winter Safety and Water Safety
Canadian Paediatric Society – Caring for Kids Sun Safety, Water Safety and Winter Safety
Health Canada Sun Safety and Swimming Pool Safety