National Pyjama Day 2023

Warm weather advisory

Warm weather advisory

A heatwave is forecast for the rest of this week and into the weekend. Early Childhood Ireland has compiled the following advice to support your service during the warm weather:

  • Offer babies and children extra drinks in hot weather. The best drink to give is water. Water should be kept cool and out of direct sunlight. Water should be freely available for all children with opportunity for older children to self-serve. Give children gentle reminders to drink water. Offer them lots of occasions to pause and have a drink.
  • Make sure staff drink plenty of fluids in front of the children to encourage regular water drinking.
  • Children could be offered extra fruit (kept in the fridge), homemade ice-pop smoothies, or cold milk if they are reluctant to drink water.
  • Babies and children should be dressed in cool, loose, light-coloured clothing and protected from the sun with wide brimmed hats and sunscreen.
  • Children’s shoulders should be covered.
  • Encourage parents to bring in sunglasses for their children.
  • Remind parents of your sun protection policy. If parents are sending in sun cream, make sure that in-date sun cream is labelled and easily available for each child. Make sure each child’s bottle of sun cream has enough in it for frequent applications. If you are providing sun cream in the service, make sure you have a sufficient amount for frequent applications. Ensure you have consent for children if you are applying the service’s sun cream in case of allergy.
  • Suggest to parents that children come in with sun cream already applied, particularly if you are starting the day outside.
  • Sun cream should be a minimum of SPF 30 and water-resistant.
  • Ensure sun cream is reapplied after water activities. Older children can be encouraged to apply sun cream themselves under supervision – they may need a reminder to make sure they don’t get it in their eyes.
  • For sleeping, ensure the temperature in the sleep room is maintained between 16-20 degrees celsius. Keep the heat out by closing curtains and make sure fresh air can circulate around the cots or sleep beds. Open windows and use fans as needed to keep the room cool. Make sure sleep bags are not too heavy for babies. Ideally cellular blankets should be used.
  • If you are outside, try to reduce the level of activity during the hottest parts of the day –consider story time or quieter activities such as creative, sand, or water play when the sun is at its hottest. Best practice would be to remain indoors when the sun is hottest between 11am and 3pm.
  • Outdoor equipment (plastic, tyres, mats etc.) can get very hot in direct sunlight and could burn children. Outdoor equipment should be checked before children go outside.
  • Build shade in the outdoor area so children have a place to go and cool down easily.
  • Babies should be kept in the shade at all times and should never be left in direct sunlight.
  • Staff should check baby’s chest, tummy, or back to feel if baby is too hot or too cold. Baby’s tummy and chest should feel warm and dry, not sweaty or cold. Take off clothes or put on additional clothes as needed.

 

Guidance to share with parents

  • Remind parents not to cover children’s prams/buggies/strollers with a blanket or muslin cloth as babies can overheat with this covering. Parents should also be reminded not to leave a child asleep in a car seat.

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