Shade Structures and Playgrounds: 5 simple solutions to prevent skin cancer in children

Summer is a great time for kids to be outside in an active environment but it can also be very dangerous. 1 in 5 children will develop skin cancer throughout the course of their life and that number is still on the rise. Here are 5 simple solutions for preventing skin cancer in children:

• Limit time in midday sun:

  The highest risk of sun overexposure is between 10a.m. and 4p.m.

• Always use Sunscreen:

  Apply sunscreen with a Sun Protective Factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher and reapply every 2 hours.

• Wear a hat:

  A hat with a wide brim that covers eyes, ears, face and neck is the best.

• Sunglasses:

  Sunglasses can provide as much as 100% UVA and UVB protection that can prevent risk of cataracts, retinal burns and many other issues

• Play in the shade:

  Find a place that has shade provided by trees or fabric shades structures designed to block out the sun. A nicely build playground shade can reduce the temperature by up to 20% and virtually eliminate the risk of skin cancer!

Children should be under shade as much as possible and out of direct exposure to the sun. Children are significantly more vulnerable to the harmful effects of the suns UV rays which is why playground equipment in schools, daycares and parks should have commercial shade structures that are built to last.
One of the biggest benefits of playground shade structures is that they can block up to 97% of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Since most people get the majority of their sun exposure before the age of 18, shades helps reduce risk of developing cancer later on in their lives.
Playground shade structures can also prevent children from getting burned by hot playground equipment. During the hot summer months many unprotected playgrounds can get so hot that children are not able to play on them at all which limits the amount of outdoor activities that are appealing, often causing them to stay inside. Shade structures help keep playgrounds cool so that children can play throughout the summer and enjoy their community playgrounds without having to worry about getting burned.