Expert sun care tips from Childs Farm

Help your babies & children stay safe in the sun

We all know how much children love splashing around in swimming pools, building sandcastles on the beach or even just running around in the back garden. So how can we make sure they can still play in the sunshine whilst still protecting their skin? Well say hello to Childs Farm.

Childs Farm is a family brand created out of love for other families by Joanna Jensen, who had an interest in natural remedies and products after the birth of her two daughters. Joanna wanted to ensure her daughter's skins were being washed with products that suited their delicate and sensitive skin without causing irritation. So she decided to take matters into her own hands (girl power or what?) and she made her very own first shampoo and bubble bath, and Childs Farm was born.

Why is sun cream needed?

Children and babies skin is delicate and needs protection from UVA and UVB rays, which is why Childs Farm have developed a sun cream suitable for the skin and hair of babies and children. Babies under six months old shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight, but UV rays can be reflected from surfaces so Childs Farm sun cream can help protect from that. Without the right protection when they're out and about in the sun, your child can get sunburn, which as well as being extremely painful, can lead to exhaustion, premature ageing and increase their chances of skin cancer. But using the right protection can help reduce the chances of all this. The Childs Farm range is even suitable for those with sensitive skin or anyone who may be prone to eczema – making it a great choice for your child to help them have fun in the sun.

Tips for applying sun cream

Ensuring your child is covered in all the right places means applying sun cream correctly, making sure to get their ears, nose and the areas their swimming costume sits like their hips and bottom of back. Dr Jennifer Crawley, expert dermatologist for Childs Farm, has some top tips for applying sun cream:

• Cover all bases - ensure your child is covered in all the right places means applying sun cream correctly, making sure to get their ears, nose and the areas their swimming costume sits like their hips and bottom of back

• Make sure you reapply - if your child is in and out of the swimming pool or they’re sweating, it’s important to make you reapply their sun cream after each time. Even if they aren’t sweating or swimming, sun cream should be reapplied every two hours or as instructed on the pack

• Don’t just apply when the sun is shining - sun cream shouldn’t only come out when the sun is out. The UVA and UVB rays can still be damaging during the summer months even on cloudy days

• Use sun cream in autumn and winter months - even though the sun might not be shining, the UVA and UVB rays can still sneak through clouds

• Pay special attention to lips, hands and feet - these are the areas that we tend to miss the most but are still in danger of getting burnt (and can be some of the most painful of places!)

Applying sun cream isn’t enough, so Childs Farm have gathered other ways you can help keep your baby and child safe in the sun.

How to help keep babies safe in the sun

Babies under the age of six months shouldn’t be in the sun at all, so instead keep newborns in shady areas or under a big umbrella. For clothing, make sure they’re wearing long trousers, long sleeves and a hat, and that the pram they’re in is covered by an umbrella or sun shade. Also, make sure to keep checking the direction of the sun to make sure it isn’t shining directly into the pram.

How to help keep children safe in the sun

First things first, make sure your children are always wearing a minimum of SPF15 on their exposed skin that helps protect against UVA and UVB rays and that they’re rocking a hat and sunglasses that provide sun protection. Make sure to keep children hydrated, especially if they’re playing a lot in the sun they’ll need plenty of water. But make sure they avoid the sun between the hours of 11am and 3pm as this is when it’s at its strongest and can cause serious damage.

There you have it, thanks to Childs Farm you’re now ready to have fun in the sun whilst helping to keep your child safe.