After you and your children have been cooped up inside for several months, you are probably excited for outdoor recreation areas to be opening up again. While this is great news, it is important to remember that we are still living in a pandemic. Thankfully, there are ways to enjoy the outdoors while engaging in safe and healthy practices. To learn tips for playing outside during COVID-19, read our quick guide.
Sanitation is key
Maintaining sanitation is the most important thing you can do at this time. You should encourage your children to sanitize their hands before and after going outside. Engage in proper hygienic practices on playgrounds and other outdoor spaces, including wiping down equipment and seating areas.
Restaurants have just started to let people dine outside, and they have an abundance of protocols to keep their diners safe. If you use a picnic table, be as sanitary as the staff at restaurants are now. This is how you can keep your family safe and contribute to decreasing COVID-19 cases.
Do not litter
It is very important to avoid littering now because you never know if the scraps have bacteria from COVID-19 on them. The more children come outside to play, the more likely at least one of them will pick up litter that contains traces of the virus. Even if the child does not show symptoms, he or she could still have the virus and pass it to someone else. It is crazy to think that one piece of litter can cause so much danger, but it could happen. It is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, littering is just gross.
Wear your masks if other people are around
Masks aren’t fun—they can make you feel hot and sweaty, and you and your children probably don’t enjoy wearing them. However, it’s a small price to pay to keep you and those around you safe. If you and your children are just in your backyard, you do not have to wear a mask. But if you are interacting with neighbors or friends who are vulnerable to the virus, you and your children should keep your masks on. Also, encourage your children to stay six feet away from others, including their friends.
If your children do not follow the rules, keep them at home
The pandemic rules can be hard to follow, especially for children. Make an effort to explain why wearing masks, sanitizing hands, and social distancing is such a big deal. Talk about the possible consequences of not wearing them, and point out people in vulnerable populations among your friends and family. And if they’re too young or just unable to understand and follow the rules, you may just need to keep them at home.
Remember that you can (and should) enjoy the outdoors during this pandemic. Hopefully, these tips for playing outside during COVID-19 will help you and your family stay safe and healthy.
