The end of winter means that your preschooler is going to be spending a lot more time outdoors. Play dates and parties are moving outside. Because of this, preschoolers need to have that protection from the sun. Thus a good dose of sunscreen is a necessity before they hit the playground or the backyard inflatable pools.
The hardest part of using sunscreen is the application part. Preschoolers just don’t sit still long enough to wait for the stuff to get rubbed in. While you can use the spray for their legs and arms, they still need coverage on their faces. The nose is probably the most susceptible part to getting burned. So that is going to need protection even if you don’t manage to get them entirely covered.
Approaching their face is usually a hassle. What you can do with preschoolers is help them apply the sunscreen to their face. Get a stool or stand them in front of a mirror with the sunscreen. Put a little on their fingers and ask them to put it on their faces. Show them how on your own face. This way you can make sure they are covered without going through some of the hassle of them fighting you while putting it on.
If you don’t have a mirror handy, then you can talk them through the process of putting it on their face. You may have to do a little follow up if they miss a few spots. Just make sure that they aren’t getting too close to their eyes. Instead, follow up on the areas underneath their eyes and around the more sensitive parts of their face. Ask them to close their eyes when you get to this step.
Remember that it isn’t just their face, arms and legs that need coverage. If your preschooler is wearing flip flops or running around barefoot, the tops of their feet can get sunburned, so you will need to apply coverage there as well. Also the back of necks can get burned if your preschooler’s hair is short, worn in a ponytail or stuffed under a hat. Depending on their hairstyle, you may want to apply sunscreen to the top of their heads.
Preschoolers need sunscreen with summer coming. Letting them help in the application process will reduce the amount of hassle it takes for them to put it on. It will take a little longer doing it this way, but it is important to ensure that they are thoroughly covered for the summer sun.