Our community hosts many public playgrounds/parks for hiking and picnicking.

When using a playground, make sure surfaces around playground equipment have wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials. Check for dangerous hardware, like open "S" hooks, protruding bolt ends, and sharp points or edges on equipment. Look out for tripping hazards: exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks. Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls. Check playgrounds for human or animal waste or personal products. Of course, carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they're safe.

You and your child should wear sunscreen. Just 30 minutes outside in bright sunshine can cause a nasty burn. Remember to cover the top of the head and your ears.

Teach your children street safety. Look both ways before crossing the road. Upon getting to the side of the street, teach your child to look left first, then right, and then back to the left side again. Use the crosswalk and crosswalk signs. Never dart out in between cars and always walk across the road.

It is fun to hike, fish, picnic, and explore the outside. It is encouraged to bring along a basic first aid kit with Band-Aids, bottled water, stop-sting gel, and an ice pack. If hiking, stay on designated pathways and ensure your cell phone is fully charged. If you become lost, the police department can ping your phone to find your location. Make sure each person has a bottle of chilled water to stay hydrated and snacks to eat along the way. A small magnifying glass is always helpful to examine plant and insect life. Be careful of plants or animals that cause rashes such as poison ivy: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/plants/default.html.

Many young children are beginning to learn to ride a bike. When your child first gets a bike, a helmet should be purchased with it, as head trauma can cause lifelong injuries. Many community organizations have bike rodeos, at which the proper way to ride a bike and the rules of the road are taught. Use an empty parking lot to first learn how to ride and gain control over the bike before venturing out. More info on teaching bike safety is available at https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/bicycle-safety.

For our youngest children, under the age of 5, Play to Learn Playgroups is a wonderful way to help your child socialize as well as to create networks of families with similarly aged children. The Danbury Family Learning Center, Inc. hosts its playgroup on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 at the ECC Center at 17 Cottage St. and the Morris St. Family Resource Center hosts their playgroup at 10:00 on Wednesdays, at Morris St. School. Both programs are free of charge and walk-ins may attend. Enjoy the summer, staff safety, and have fun.

Anne E. Mead, Ed. D. is the Director of Family, School & Community Partnerships for Danbury Public Schools. She can be reached at 203-830-6508 or by email at meadan@danburyu.k12.ct.us.