It’s summer, and that means your kiddos are ready for popsicles, water sprinklers, and outside adventures! They’ve been waiting all year for the long, hot days of summer fun, so you slather them in sunscreen and send them out the door. Wait! They’re protected from the blazing sun rays, but did you make sure they’re safe from mosquitoes and ticks? The experts at Giroud Tree and Lawn have your summertime checklist to keep kids safe from biting insects!
Making Kids Aware of Dangerous Insects
Teaching your kids ways to prevent mosquito and tick bites will empower them to be mindful of their surroundings while out in nature. You can’t be with them on all of their adventures, so it’s important to start mosquito and tick bite prevention habits early and reinforce them often. You can work together as a family to prepare for outside play and to check for mosquito bites and ticks once you’re back home.
Summertime Checklist to Keep Kids Safe from Biting Insects
Wear light and neutral-colored clothing. Mosquitoes are attracted to things that mimic nature like the colors in flowers, foliage, or animals. Dress your kids in white, beige, or khaki if they’re heading out for an adventure.
Go Natural. Avoid heavily scented shampoos and any products that contain fragrances
Cover up. It’s tough in the summer but if your kids are playing outside near water or woods, they should wear lightweight, long sleeves, long pants, and socks. Mosquitoes are most attracted to areas where the skin is thinner and the blood vessels are closer to the surface such as the ears, wrists, and ankles. Teach your kids to tuck their pants into their socks if they will be walking through high grasses or underbrush. This will prevent ticks from crawling up their legs.
Use Repellents. Of course, DEET is the go-to chemical repellent. But there are natural alternatives. Often sold in health food stores, non-toxic, botanical repellents should be reapplied about every thirty minutes to remain effective. Mosquito repellents containing soybean oil protect for about ninety minutes—comparable to DEET. When mosquitoes start landing on you again, that’s the signal to reapply your repellent.
Always Perform a Full Body Tick Check after Outside Play. Your Kids might be exhausted after playing outside all day in the hot summer sun, but it’s vital that you always check for ticks once they’ve arrived home. You can even make it into a game! Check out this fun video from Composer Dad-Tick Check Song!