Curious Parents Family Health Resources

family health

Winter Sports & Activities

Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play to prevent frostbite. Have children come inside periodically to warm up.

Ice Skating

• Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved.

• Advise your child to: skate in the same direction as the crowd; avoid darting across the ice; never skate alone; not chew gum or eat candy while skating.

• Consider having your child wear a helmet while ice skating.

Sledding

• Keep sledders away from motor vehicles.

• Children should be supervised while sledding.

• Keep young children separated from older children.

• Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.

• Consider having your child wear a helmet while sledding.

• Use steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes.

• Sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated.

• Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like trees or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30º), and end with a flat runoff.

• Avoid sledding in crowded areas.

Snow Skiing & Snowboarding

• Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children.

• Young children should always be supervised by an adult. Older children’s need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill. If older children are not with an adult, they should always at least be accompanied by a friend.

• The AAP recommends that children under age 7 not snowboard. 

• Slopes should fit the ability and experience of the skier or snowboarder. Avoid crowded slopes.

Sun Protection

• The sun’s rays can still cause sunburn in the winter. Make sure to cover your child’s exposed skin with sunscreen.

Snowmobiling

• The AAP recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles.

• Wear goggles and a safety helmet approved for use on motorized vehicles like motorcycles. 

Courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics.