A question from School Products Australia; Will your kids be wearing the right hat at childcare or school in 2017?

Australia is very prone to high and extreme UV radiation and this radiation is well known to be the reason approximately two-thirds of Australians develop skin cancer by the time they turn 70. Children at school and at childcare spend a good amount of time outdoors so it is important to ensure your children are adequately protected so they have a much higher chance to get through life without developing a skin cancer.

The most effective and simple solution to prevent damage by UV radiation at school and childcare is to wear a hat but there are many hats available that unfortunately do very little for sun protection but the good news is that there are 4 types of hats that offer the sun protection your child needs.

The 4 types of hats that will protect your child’s face from the sun;

• Bucket Hats are an effective style of hat that most kids love but more importantly the brim is angled down offering protection to the back of their neck and sides of their face. An angled brim offers superior protection as the brim sits closer to the child’s face and neck therefore offering superior protection. The brims on a bucket hat are generally soft to provide safety while playing in the playground as hard or stiff brims can be a hazard to children if there is a collision while playing or running around.

• Surf Hats are much like bucket hats and are styled so many kids love them but the brims don’t angle down quite so much and are usually compensated by a wider brim.  The brim of a surf hat is generally soft therefore offering the same safety advantages as the bucket hats. Many surf hats include a toggled chin strap to keep the hat on and is very helpful for those in windy areas but there is also a danger of injury such as strangulation if the hat gets caught on a piece of play equipment, tree branch or any other way the hat may get pulled off the child's head. It is important that if you choose a hat with a chin strap you choose one with a breakaway clip that will pull apart if the hat gets stuck or caught.

• Legionnaire Caps are also an excellent form of sun protection as they have a brim at the front to protect the child’s face and a flap at the back to protect their neck. Many skin cancers are developed at the temple area of the face so for a legionnaire cap to be effective the back flap must meet the sides of the brim.

• Slouch Hats are common hats that offer great sun protection however they do carry the safety dangers of a hard or stiff brim and also the chin strap can pose a safety hazard if it is not the breakaway type.

Baseball caps, visors and other caps with only a brim at the front offer very little sun protection and it is recommended they are avoided for use in child care centres and schools.

Babies should be kept indoors at all times while at child care but as the they learn to crawl and walk they then begin to explore outside and this is a very important stage for children to be protected from the sun as their skin is still very tender. Bucket Hats, Surf Hats and Legionnaire Caps are available in sizes from crawlers to adults.

I would recommend that parents check that the child care centre or school their child attends has a policy to protect your children from the sun and find out whether sun hats are provided or if it is your responsibility to provide a hat that protects your child in the sun.

Bucket Hats, Surf Hats and Legionnaire Caps are all available from School Products Australia and are available in a great range of colours and sizes. Child care centre and schools even have the option to have their logo printed to help the children feel included in your facility while promoting your facility at the same time. Find out more at www.schoolproductsaustralia.com.au today.