3 Tips To Keep Kids Healthy This Summer

Summer is all about fun for kids on break, but it's also a great time to focus on keeping them healthy and getting them ready to go back to school

This post is sponsored by Think AboutYour Eyes. All opinions are my own.

Summer is in full swing! Maybe you love its more relaxed schedule, maybe you struggle with your kids at home all day and finding enough to keep them entertained and busy, or maybe it's a combination of both. For us, the bulk of our summer has the exact same schedule as the fall, because the kids' preschool hosts a six-week summer camp session with the exact same hours as their school year. Which is pretty great, because we don't have to leave the house until 8:30! I know I'll miss these days when I'm in the carpool lane for kindergarten by 7am, that's for sure. Regardless of your schedule or planned summer activities, summer is definitely great for focusing on your child's health, and I'm going to share three easy tips on ways you can keep your kids healthy this summer.

3 Tips to keep kids healthy this summer:

1) Make sure they have and use sun protection

The first thing I think of when I hear sun protection is sunscreen. Which, of course, is extremely important! A good SPF is mandatory for most of the year here in Texas, but especially during the summer months when we spend a ton of time outside at splash pads, in our backyard pool, or running through the sprinkler. Make sure to re-apply it to the package directions too - even water resistant and "sweat proof" options need to be reapplied!

 The part of sun protection that's not as closely considered? EYE WEAR! Yes, your kids need to wear sunglasses with adequate UVA/UVB sun protection. Their eyes are more sensitive than yours so if you're squinting against the bright summer light, your children's eyes are even worse off! We keep a small basket of protective sunglasses in our playroom stocked with multiple options that my kids can choose from (I've learned that having choices for toddlers is the key to getting them to wear sunglasses). It's right by the front door so they can grab a pair before they go out to walk the dog or ride their bikes, and we keep a few pairs on our back-courtyard table so they can wear them while running through the sprinkler or playing in the pool.

2) Light summer schedules are the perfect time to schedule your kids' annual eye exam

One of the things I learned right away as a mom with a son in preschool was to take advantage of the summer months (frankly, the earlier the better because even in August, people are booking appointments like crazy!) to get all the well-child visits in, including annual eye exams. My annual eye exam is always in July, so it's easy for me to remember to book  the boys' appointment near mine, too. In fact, they're set to get their annual check up June 27! Getting it done in the summer means you've got all your paperwork done and ready for school registration or record updates come the fall, and you won't spend anytime scrambling to get your documentation in order.

Don't know where to go to get your children's eyes checked? ThinkAbout Your Eyes, a national public awareness campaign for vision health, has a great Find A Doctor tool right on the homepage! There's also tons of information about eye health. Even if you *know* your child doesn't have vision problems, the eye is a complex organ that requires a special annual check up. Everything from eye pressure, to blood flow to the shape of the eye needs to be checked up on annually, and school and pediatrician screenings are not enough to catch early vision issues! The website is a great resource to get you and your child ready for his or her exam.

 3) Regulate screen time

This one goes year round, but it seems especially important in the summer when kids are home all or most of the day and "get bored." Or perhaps you're like me and work from home, and need to make sure your child is preoccupied if you're on a pressing deadline. I get it. And while there are tons of great apps for learning and development, screen time should still be regulated and minimized just from an eye health perspective! Staring at a screen is hard on the eyes. The blue light screens emit actually alter brain functions. Use screen time sparingly and make sure to get your kids outside every day the weather permits! Not only is the fresh air good for overall health, physical activity is too. Provide screen time boundaries for your kids to ensure a good balance and diversity of activities or eye, brain and physical health.

 Summer is here so get out there and enjoy this more relaxed season! Visit pools, the splash pad or the beach; go camping and eat a s'more; get out on a boat or go for a hike in the woods. Summer is a great time to de-schedule yourself and your kids and enjoy all the season has to offer. Put your screens down and pull out the sun protection (remember your eyes, too!) and soak it all up! It's also a great time to take advantage of relaxed schedules and prepare for the busyness of fall by scheduling your child's annual comprehensive eye exam. Getting that taken care of in the summer makes you a step ahead come school schedule season, and crosses one thing off your busy to-do list before the crazy holiday season commences.