When that hot summer’s day comes, you’ll probably want to spend it outdoors with your baby. However, direct sunlight and heat can have its risks – your baby’s skin and sensitivity to heat are still developing and so caution needs to be taken to ensure your baby doesn’t burn or overheat. Here are some ways to keep your infant happy in the sun.

Stay in the shade

The best approach is to keep your baby in the shade at all times. Find a tree or canopy to sit under. Babies that aren’t crawling or walking yet will be happy to lay and roll in the shade. However, if your baby is mobile, they’ll probably want to wander into the sun, so you’ll have to keep them monitored at all times.

Apply sunscreen

When your baby is six months old you can start to use specially formulated sunscreen. Until then, keep them in the shade at all times. Don’t be afraid to overdo the sun cream – it’s better to be overcautious. You can buy some tinted sun creams that show which parts of the skin have sun cream on and which parts don’t. There are lots of online sites that can point you towards the best sun creams for babies.

Protect the pram

When pushing your baby in its stroller, you need to ensure that no direct sunlight hits your baby. Umbrella strollers are a great purchase, protecting against the rain and sun. You can search online to compare the best umbrella strollers in 2017. Alternatively, if your pram doesn’t have a sun hood, buying the best cantilever parasol for it could be another option (these clip on and are also useful for protecting toddlers in buggies).

Dress your baby for the heat

Light, closely knitted materials such as cotton are best suited for the heat. In very hot conditions, stripping your baby down to its nappy may even be worthwhile. A hat is also recommended for protecting your baby’s head, as their scalp may not have enough hair to provide natural protection against the sun. A good baby hat needs to have a Velcro chin strap to stop the hat from falling off. You can even buy wrap-around baby sunglasses to protect your infant’s eyes. Stick to cheap accessories – there’s no point shelling out on top of the range baby sunglasses if you may not get much use out of them, especially given that low-end models are just as effective.

Cool off your baby with water

A water spray can be useful for cooling your baby down in the intense heat. A paddling pool can also be great for cooling off your baby in the garden. If your baby isn’t walking and climbing yet, the paddling pool will act as a playpen, meaning that they can’t crawl off. Only fill with a shallow amount of water as you would do in a bath and keep the paddling pool in the shade. Throw some toys in and your baby will be in its element! (not all babies like water, but most do).