Sun safety at Learning Ladder

Outdoor play is a vital part of your child’s development. It’s also a focus of our educational program at Learning Ladder. And while the importance of regular outdoor play cannot be overstated, parents and educators must also be mindful of protecting children from harmful UV exposure.

Sun protection in childcare

All Australian childcare centres must have a sun-safe policy in place year-round. At Learning Ladder, we take sun safety very seriously. Here are our sun-safe practices.

The UV Index

The UV Index helps us measure the level of ultraviolet radiation in the environment. It ranges from 0 to 11+, with 0 being the lowest and 11+ being the highest. Exposure to UV radiation can cause skin damage, eye damage and even skin cancer. Various factors affect UV levels, such as time of day, time of year, cloud cover, altitude and closeness to the equator.

Sun protection is recommended when UV levels are three or higher.

At Learning Ladder, we limit outdoor activities between 11am and 3pm, the hottest time of the day and when the UV rating is highest. Your child will still enjoy plenty of time outside early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide

Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide are the five key steps to sun safety. They stand for slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on some sunglasses.

We follow Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide at Learning Ladder and educate children about its importance via games, songs and other fun activities.

Sun protection for babies

Babies are particularly vulnerable to harmful UV rays, which is why we ensure they’re not exposed to high UV levels at Learning Ladder. It’s a good idea to dress your baby in light, full-length sleeves when outdoors. Your baby can still enjoy outdoor activities in full shade, limiting the amount of UV exposure while exposing them to the health benefits of Vitamin D.

No Hat, No Play

Learning Ladder has adopted a No Hat, No Play sun-safety policy to protect children from UV rays. Please remember to pack a wide-brimmed or legionnaire hat so your child can enjoy the sunshine.

Sunscreen

Young children have extremely sensitive, sunburn-prone skin, making sunscreen a must-have for babies and children over six months of age. At Learning Ladder, our educators apply 30+SPF sensitive sunscreen to each child, covering all visible skin, 20 minutes before outdoor play and every two hours thereafter.

Sun safe clothing

During warmer weather, it’s important to make sure your child wears sun-safe clothing, such as loose-fitting shirts with sleeves, a covered neckline and longer style pants or skirts.

Role-modelling sun safety

As children follow our lead, educators and parents should be sun-safety role models. Wearing sunscreen, hats and sunglasses is a good way to illustrate the importance of sun safety to your child.

At Learning Ladder, your child’s health and safety is our priority. Implementing our sun-safe policy is just one of many ways we promote a safe environment. To learn more about our sun-safe practices or to read our sun-safe policy, please contact us today.