Keep children well hydrated. Kids can exert tremendous amounts of energy when playing outdoors. While dehydration is more of a concern under the hot summer sun, it can also occur in the winter time when kids are bundled up and sweating inside of warm coats. Always bring some bottled water and encourage your child to take sips throughout the day.

Use helmets. Whether your child is riding a bike, roller skating, skate boarding, or zipping along on a scooter, make sure that he is using a safe helmet that fits well. A helmet that has a crack or chips can be more of a safety hazard than protective, so examine the helmet often and make sure it is in good condition when using it.

Examine the area. If your children are playing in a public park, playground, or beach, take a brief walk around the place. Make sure that there is no broken glass on the ground, or tripping hazards hidden in the grass, ant hills, wasp nests, or slippery surfaces. If there are, point the danger out to the children and warn them to avoid the particular area.

Check home playground apparatus regularly. If you have any large play sets, make sure all the screws and bolts are tight every couple of weeks. If you notice any rust spots forming, scrub it off immediately with some steel wool. Check for cracks in wood structures, or bends in metal structures.

Tend to damaged apparatus. If you notice that some of your outdoor play apparatus is starting to bend, crack, splinter, rust, or become otherwise unstable, try to have the problem fixed immediately. The longer you wait, the more dangerous the equipment will become. If you cannot repair the damage, have a professional look at it. Sometimes companies that sell and assemble play apparatus will send someone to repair it. If it is beyond repair, take it down and dispose of it.

Keep your grass cut. If your children play in the yard or on your lawn, high grass can conceal a mine field of dangers, from forgotten toys to lost lawn tools. High grass also attracts more animals and insects because it is easy to hide in and grows without being disrupted. Keeping your grass short will help prevent tripping accidents or run-ins with outdoor creatures.

Lock up your pool. If you have young children, your pool is a major household hazard. If you have or are putting in a pool, have a fence installed around it and put a good lock on the opening. Keep the keys hidden away and out of a child’s reach. g speed bumps placed in your neighborhood.

Keep kids off the streets. Most accidents that happen to children while biking, skating or playing ball, happen in the street, or in an area not meant for play. Take kids to local parks and skating rinks, where the ground is smooth, there is ample room for play and no cars will be speeding by.

Use insect repellant. Common insect bites are a big concern now that many insects carry diseases. Tics can spread Lymes disease, mosquitoes can spread West Nile Virus and, in some areas, encephalitis. Protect your child by getting into the habit of using repellants.

Use sun screen. Even in the winter time, the sun’s UV rays can be damaging to our skin. In the summer months, the danger is only magnified. Protect your child’s young skin with a sun screen that has an SPF of 15 or higher.

Make sure fences and railings are safe. Make sure that spaces are too small for a child to stick his head through, and that rust and splintering are tended to if your child plays in your fenced in yard.

Carry a picture at all times. If you should ever have trouble finding your child at a park or on the beach, make sure you have an updated photograph to give to authorities or people who are helping you look.

Use the buddy system. Make certain that when your kids go swimming, they use the buddy system. Never let a child go in the water alone, and, if possible, pair younger children up with adults. Make the buddy system a non-negotiable rule for family water outings.

Supervise. There is no aspect of child safety more important than close adult supervision.