By Dr. Swati Gandhi, a primary care physician in Costa Mesa with Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County

Outside play is as integral to summer fun as ice-cold lemonade and overworked air conditioners. The following are some safety precautions for your children as they continue to enjoy the outdoors.

Active play/safety

Helmet rules: Always wear a properly fitted helmet for bikes, scooters and skateboards. Make sure the helmet sits level on the forehead, not tilted back.

Playground surface checks: Check metal slides and dark plastic surfaces on hot days to prevent contact burns. Ensure the ground has impact-absorbing cushioning (rubber, pea gravel, mulch).

Footwear: Avoid flip-flops or bare feet on bikes, scooters, or play structures to prevent foot injuries and slips.

Bugs and outdoor hazards

Bug protection: Apply EPA-registered insect repellent (containing DEET up to 30%, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus). Apply sunscreen first, then bug spray.

Tick checks: After time in wooded or tall grass areas, check behind ears, scalp, armpits, waistline, and back of knees.

Rattlesnakes: They generally are out from April through October. Walk on clear, well-used paths and avoid tall grass, weeds, and heavy brush. Never go barefoot or wear sandals in wild areas and never stick your hands under rocks, logs, or deep into woodpiles.

If you encounter a snake, give it plenty of room — around 15 feet — and back away slowly. If you are bitten, call 911 and immediately contact the California Poison Control System at 800-222-1222.

Water and pool safety

Designate a “water watcher” when no lifeguard is available. Assign one adult whose sole responsibility is active, undistracted visual supervision (no phones or reading). Rotate shifts every 15–20 minutes to prevent fatigue.

Flotation: Use properly fitted life jackets for open water/boating. And remember that inflatable arm floaties are toys, not safety devices.

Barrier protection: Home pools should feature a four-sided isolation fence (at least 4 feet tall) with self-closing and self-latching gates.

Sun protection and skin care

For children 6 months and older, apply broad-spectrum sunscreen. Use SPF 30-plus covering UVA/UVB. Apply 15 minutes before heading out and reapply every 2 hours (or immediately after swimming/sweating).

Dress for sun defense: Prioritize lightweight, tightly woven, or UPF-rated long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, and UV-blocking sunglasses (we see a lot of junior lifeguards with red eyes).

Mind peak hours: Encourage shade or indoor breaks between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV rays are strongest.

Hydration and heat illness

Scheduled water breaks: Kids often forget to drink until they are already dehydrated; encourage small sips every 15–20 minutes during active play.

Signs of heat exhaustion are excessive sweating, cool/clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea. Move to shade/AC, loosen clothing, sip cool water.

Signs of heat stroke include high body temperature, hot/red/dry or moist skin, confusion, rapid pulse. Call emergency services immediately.

Never leave kids or pets in vehicles: Interior temperatures can spike to dangerous levels within minutes, even on mild days.