Whether you are headed to the pool, the beach, or the playground, you want to make sure your child is protected from the sun. Applying sunscreen to a toddler is a daunting task, but so very important. Here are a few tips to help you get the sunblock on quickly before your child makes a quick escape!
Handle the Hair
Before you even open the sunscreen, you want to get your child’s hair out of their face! Pull it back and secure with an elastic band, barrette, bobby pin, or headband. If you have a boy, this advice is for you too! It’s much easier to apply sunscreen on a squirmy toddler if you don’t have to keep pushing their hair out of their face.
Use a Face Stick
There are lots of different face stick sunscreens on the market and they are worth investing in! It’s much easier to use than a handful of sunblock and safer than using spray sunscreen on your child’s face.
Use A Lot
If your toddler is trying to get away from you, it’s best to fill your hands with a generous amount of sunscreen! That way, you won’t have to stop as often to refill your hands while applying sunscreen and run the risk of your child escaping!
Let Them Help
Of course, toddlers are too young to put sunscreen on themselves, but you can let them “help” anyway. Let them use the face stick while you cover the rest of their body. Or, squirt a little in their hands and let them rub it on their legs while you take care of their back. This will hopefully keep them busy while you actually apply the sunscreen properly.
Reapplying Sunscreen
For my kids, I always use a traditional bottle of sunblock for their first application, but if I need to reapply, I usually use a spray. It’s hard enough to get a toddler to stand still for one application and you might not get so lucky a second or third time. Plus, if you are at the beach, rubbing lotion sunblock into sand-covered skin can be painful.
Don’t Forget These Areas
If your toddler has super fine hair, you might need to spray the top of their head. This is also important if your child’s hair is parted; the sun can burn that exposed skin. Either pull their hair back, make sure they are wearing a hat, or cover this area with sunscreen. And, don’t forget the lips! Grab a chapstick with SPF to keep their lips from getting burned.
Putting sunscreen on a squirmy toddler is no easy feat! Keep at it and just remember, it will get easier as they get older!
