Now that it’s summertime, your kids are likely going to spending many hours of their days enjoy the fresh air and sunshine they find outside. And while it’s important that you give your children proper supervision when they’re outdoors, there are also things you can do to mitigate them running into any problems or danger when you might not be right there by their side.

To help you with this, here are three things to do to ensure that your kids are safe when playing outside this summer.

Protect Them From The Sun

While the sun can be hazardous to your kids at all times of the year, the summer sun is much more intense. Because of this, it’s important that you’re able to adequately protect your little ones from the sun, even if they only plan on being outside for a short time.

According to Lisa Freedman, a contributor to Parents.com, you need to apply sunscreen to your children’s skin about 15 minutes before they go outside so that it has time to soak into their skin and properly protect them. After this, you should reapply sunscreen every two hours at the latest.

In addition to sunscreen, you should also ensure that your children have adequate shade to rest in, protection for their eyes, and water to help keep them cool.

Eliminate Hazards From Their Play Area

When sending your children outside to play, part of their safety depends on you preparing the area in which they’ll be running, jumping, and playing. To do this, you should do your best to eliminate any hazards in the area before you allow them into that space.

As part of this, Stephanie Caudle, a contributor to LifeHack.org, advises that you remove any sharp objects from the area and make sure play equipment isn’t too hot for them. To keep them in the area and to keep any unwanted visitors out, you should also consider installing a fence around your home so you can rest easier when your children are outside on their own.

Be Very Cautious Around Water

The summer is the perfect time to cool off in the water. But if you have little ones, you’ve got to be vigilant about keeping them safe around this potential danger.

When participating in water activities, Dr. Karen Gill, a contributor to Healthline.com, recommends that you never allow your kids to swim alone, even if they’ve had swimming lessons. It only takes a few moments and a small amount of water for a child to drown, so make sure you always keep an eye on your kids when playing in or around water.

To help your family have a fun and safe summer, consider using the tips mentioned above to protect your little ones when playing outside.