Heat Safety for Kids and Teens

It’s important to make kids aware of the very real dangers of heat and to monitor them for heat stress and heat-related illnesses. Children, especially young children, lack the ability to regulate their body temperature in the same way as adults. Here are some tips from the CDC:

• Never leave infants or children in a parked car, even if the windows are open.
• Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Make sure they’re drinking plenty of fluids. Stay away from really cold drinks or drinks with too much sugar.
• Schedule outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day like morning and evening hours.
• Check out the following links for fun opportunities to learn more with your child:
  • NWS Weather Science Activities:
  • NWS Jetstream Free Online Weather Classes
  • SciJinks: What is a Heat Wave?
  • Boy, Girl Scout Weather Merit Badge materials
  • Be a Force of Nature Fact Sheet”
  • NASA Climate Kids 
  • Family Communication Plan for Kids 
  • Ready Kids