Sun Safety
You may or may not be aware that Koalaroo Preschool has a 'No hat, No Play' policy, which literally means just that. You don't have a hat, you don't get to play in the sun. Having lived in Australia for 16 years, the importance of sun safety was drummed into me from the very beginning. It is part of the culture - not something learned, just something that is. Everyone lives by the motto 'Slip. Slop. Slap.' Why? Because just one blistering sunburn can double a child's lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. OK so what IS 'Slip. Slop. Slap.'?
Slip... on a shirt
Not just any shirt - one that covers the shoulders.
Slop... on sunscreen
Not just any sunscreen - 30+ protection
Slap... on a hat
Not just any hat - a wide-brimmed hat to protect the eyes, nose, ears and back of the neck.
Why is sun protection so important?
Childrens' skin is so new and delicate and can burn very quickly - in the shade as much as in the sun. So it is very important to protect their tender skin. Just wearing a shirt only protects their shoulders and a large part of their skin - not their faces; just wearing sunscreen doesn't protect their eyes and scalps; just wearing a wide-brimmed hat isn't enough - it only protects their eyes, ears and scalps (scalps DO burn - trust me!) Providing them with Triple Protection gives you the reassurance that you've done all you can to protect them while they're out having fun in the sun!
Things to consider when buying sunscreen
Consistency - they go from spray to liquid to thick paste. Most are difficult and nasty to apply. Many don't actually absorb well into the skin. Sprays do not cover completely, apply too thin a layer (often it needs to be reapplied more frequently) and are streaky in application - they can also get into childrens' eyes very easily. The thick pasty sunscreens are REALLY difficult to apply and don't spread over the skin very easily.
Content - skin is the largest organ of our body and when it has sunscreen applied it absorbs what is put on. What is it that you are putting on your childs' tender skin exactly?
Sensitive Skin - some sunscreens can actually cause irritation
What would we recommend?
Having applied many different types of sunscreens over the years and taking into account the consistency, the ease of application and the natural contents, we recommend Arbonne's ABC Sunscreen SPF 30 because it contains 4 active ingredients and 2 key soothing botanical ingredients compared to 5 active ingredients and at least 10 chemicals and fragrances in your average off-the-shelf brand; it is easily applied and is suitable for all skin types - and it does the job right!
This is why Koalaroo is including a sunscreen program. We provide Arbonne's ABC Sunscreen SPF 30 and apply it to your child prior to them going outside to play (minimum twice a day). Please do not bring any other sunscreens to the school unless your child has an allergy to accommodate.
*During COVID-19 restrictions, children are asked to bring in their own, labelled, sunscreen. *
Facts
- You can sunburn even on a cloudy day.
- On average, children get 3 times more exposure than adults.
- Concrete, sand, water, and snow reflect 85% to 90% of the sun's UV rays.
- In some parts of the world, melanoma is increasing at rates faster than any other cancer.
- More than 1.2 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the US.
- Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, kills one person every hour.
