11 summer safety hazards every parent needs to know about

If you're spending more time in the garden or travelling to see friends and relatives this summer, it's important not to let your guard down when it comes to your baby or toddler's safety. 

Find out the key hazards that every parent, guardian and grandparent needs to be aware of, plus what you can do to help keep your kids out of harm's way now the weather is warmer.

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1. Fit a stair gate on your back door

Stair or baby gates can add an extra level of safety, not just to internal doors but to external ones, too. They will prevent children going unsupervised from the back of your property to the front via a side return.

There are different types of stair gate available – pressure, screw, roll-up mesh and travel gates – that have different attachment methods, features, advantages and disadvantages. RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) recommends installation before your child starts crawling, which can be from around six months of age.

See our guide to how to buy the best stair gate to help you work out which type is most suitable for your home

2. Check your baby monitor works when outdoors

A baby monitor can be essential if you're in the garden hanging washing or checking on older children playing and need to listen out for your slumbering tot. 

If you're planning to use a baby monitor, you need to know if it has the range, signal and battery life suitable for the type of property you live in.

Our baby monitor tests found that some audio and video monitors won't let you go much further than 20 metres, while others allow you to move more than 80 metres away from the baby (or nursery) unit without losing the signal. If you go for a pricier smart baby monitor, range isn't an issue because they use wi-fi.

Take a look at the best baby monitors in our exhaustive tests, whether you're after an audio, video or smart wi-fi baby monitor

3. Apply high-factor sunscreen

Babies under six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight, according to the NHS, and the skin of young children should be protected from the sun when UV levels are high.

Although they offer the same protection as adult ones, formulations for infants and children tend to be fragrance-free to reduce the number of potential allergens that might affect their more sensitive skin. Look for a short ingredients list and the words 'fragrance-free' and 'hypoallergenic' on the container.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 35ml of sun cream (seven teaspoons) to cover an adult, so use a quarter to a half of this, depending on the size of your child. Use more if you're using spray rather than cream in order to get good coverage.

Compare baby and child sun creams, including how popular SPF 50+ children's sun creams performed in our tests

4. Don't let your pushchair get too hot

You may be tempted to drape some fabric over your little one's buggy to shade them from the sun, but our research showed that whether it was a muslin, towel, fleece blanket, Koo-di sun/sleep cover or a SnoozeShade, temperatures still spiked within the pushchair.

In some cases this was by 6°C more after 60 minutes in hot temperatures, compared with when just the hood is up. 

When temperatures soar, it may cause your baby to overheat, increasing the chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). On a hot day get into the shade if possible, and avoid staying out in the warm weather for too long. 

Use a sunshade designed to block UVA and UVB safely. You can get either branded or generic ones specifically designed to clip on to the pushchair. Circulate the air around them with a clip-on fan for their buggy and keep your child hydrated (if you are breastfeeding there's no need to give them water).

Go to our pushchair safety tips for more advice or see compact and lightweight strollers for travel to find out which ones we rate

5. Keep kids cool and hydrated when travelling

A vehicle can soon get hot inside, even if the outside temperature isn't baking. On days measuring just 22°C, car temperatures can rise 10-15°C every 15 minutes and can quickly reach 47°C, says the European Child Safety Alliance. 

Little ones who are exposed to rising temperatures could end up with heat exhaustion, when the body temperature rises to between 37°C and 40°C. If this isn't treated it can escalate into heatstroke, where their body temperature climbs above 40°C. 

Both heat exhaustion and heatstroke should be treated as medical emergencies. Avoid overheating by: 

• Keeping them cool in the car. Children should be shaded, comfortable and hydrated on hot days. A leakproof bottle which minimises spillages is ideal for journeys – choose from our round-up of the best kids' water bottles.
• Put a sunshade up on the window next to them. There are various sorts, including pop-up and roller blind sun shades. Keep the empty car seat cool with a light-coloured throw if the vehicle is parked in the sun for long periods, and check that buckles and straps aren't too hot to touch before your child goes back in.
• Make regular pit stops. Young babies especially shouldn't be in their car seat for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. Once your child is over six months, try to avoid them sitting in their car seat for longer than two hours.

Best baby or child car seats – see our top-rated car seats based on our tough lab tests and find out the signs to look for when your child needs the next size up

6. Be cautious around water

Paddling pools are a great way of cooling down, but when it comes to water and children, safety has to come first. Even if you're planning to put just a little splash of water in, you need to supervise little ones to guard against slipping and, most importantly, drowning.

Ponds, hot tubs and other containers with water in, such as buckets, can also pose a danger. In fact, RoSPA says children can drown in as little as 5cm of water.

Fence off pools or ponds and empty paddling pools, containers, buckets and watering cans when not in use, and turn upside down so they don't collect water. 

Read our 9 affordable garden decor DIY hacks to spruce up your garden and outdoor areas without spending a fortune 

7. Check trampolines and play equipment 

There's no doubt that garden play equipment can be great fun, but whether it's a climbing frame, swing or trampoline, these also pose a hazard to excitable kids.

Although you can't protect against every bump and bruise, you can hopefully help to safeguard against injuries with a few simple actions:

• Check safety standards on play equipment. For example, your trampoline should adhere to European Standard EN71-14:2014 'Safety of toys – Trampolines for domestic use'.
• Provide a soft landing. The surface under play equipment should be soft enough to absorb the shock of falls, for example with wood chips rather than concrete or packed earth.
• Place outdoor climbing frames on firm ground. It should also be anchored on level ground to reduce the risk of it toppling over, and an unobstructed space of at least 1.5 metres left around it in case your child falls off.
• Check for sharp edges and exposed screws. Make sure that any products you buy are fit for purpose before they're used, and check periodically for loose nuts and bolts that might render it unsafe. 
• Check playground equipment on hot days. If you have equipment with a metal slide, handrails or steps, it might get really hot to touch on sweltering days and could cause burns. Check equipment after heavy rain, too, to ensure surfaces aren't too slippery to be used.
• Avoid clothes with cords or drawstrings. Along with bags and necklaces, clothes with drawstrings could get caught on equipment and accidentally cause strangulation. 
• Supervise play equipment but don't rely on this alone. RoSPA says that having a 'spotter' keeping an eye on the trampoline can greatly reduce the risk of incidents, but it adds that more than half of all trampoline accidents occur while under supervision. That's why rules like 'one at a time' are so important. 

Best trampolines – we tested popular trampolines on sale at Argos, Plum, Smyths and more to help you decide what will suit your needs and your budget

8. Take care around barbecues

Don't leave children unsupervised near a barbecue, fire pit or chiminea. 

This isn't just while there's food cooking – a barbecue can stay hot for hours after you're finished with it. Never pour petrol, meths or other accelerants to get a slow-catching fire going, and extinguish the coals with plenty of water when you're done using it. 

Choose a barbecue that's strong, sturdy and stable. If you're using an existing one, look for damaged or loose parts that might need to be repaired, adjusted or even replaced in order to be safe. 

Whether you're after a portable sizzler, charcoal smoker, or a gas-powered grill, we round up all of the best barbecues we've tested

9. Recognise skin rashes on children

There are several rashes that can end up causing discomfort to kids during the summer.

These include heat rash (prickly heat) from blocked sweat glands, hives (also known as nettle rash) from insect bites and stings, and sun allergy, which is an allergic skin reaction caused by inherited sun sensitivity or from taking certain medications such as certain antibiotics.

Our childhood rash guide and insect bites and stings guide explain what symptoms to look out for and what you can do about them

10. Be aware of dangers from berries, flowers and leaves

You may be tempted to fill your garden or outside space with flowers, but before you do it's worth knowing that some could pose a hazard to children. 

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Campaign for School Gardening advises the following:

• Teach children about plants. This includes not playing with them, not eating them without supervision and understanding that even edible plants may have parts that you can't eat (for example, the leaves and flowers of potatoes and tomatoes). 
• Don't touch a plant unless you know what it is. If children are helping you with pruning or weeding, it can be a good idea to get them to wear gloves too.
• Clear away prunings or dug up plants. Keep them out of the reach of children, pets or wildlife, especially if you know they are toxic or may cause irritation. Research plants before you plant them and don't take any chances – even if little ones are only occasional visitors to your garden.
• Check plant labels and seed packets for toxicity warnings. There are lots of ornamental plants that may look stunning but could cause irritation if touched, or sickness and poisoning if eaten. For example, if eaten in quantity the seeds of morning glory can cause diarrhoea and even hallucinations. The RHS has a list of potentially harmful garden plants if you're unsure.

The 5 easiest vegetables to grow – get them into the garden to discover the joys of growing your own flowers and veg

11. Keep greenhouses and sheds firmly locked

There's nothing more tempting for an inquisitive child than a shed or garage filled with interesting tools, boxes and bottles – that's why keeping the door firmly locked is so important.

Make sure sharp garden tools are in good repair and safely tidied away after use, and don't let children go near lawnmowers or hedge trimmers. Always use a residual current device (RCD) when operating electrically powered garden tools and mowers. 

Keep hazardous substances out of reach and locked away, and keep substances in their original containers rather than decanting them into containers that might be mistaken for food or drink and lead to poisonings. Product labels on pesticides contain vital information including active ingredients, dosage rate and the problem it combats – all crucial information to the emergency services in the event of an accident.

Looking for a storage solution for your gardening equipment or somewhere to keep the bikes? Our expert guides advise you on how to buy the best greenhouse and the best garden storage, depending on your needs