Share your tips for staying safe in the sun - £200 voucher to be won

[BellaMumsnet]

Created for NIVEA

This sponsored discussion is now closed

Whether it’s turning sun cream application into a fun game, buying your child a hat that they love too much to take off, or taking a pop-up beach tent big enough for everyone to squeeze into for days at the seaside, share with us below your top tips for protecting your family from the sun.

· Post your tips on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
· One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice

Here’s what NIVEA Sun has to say:

“NIVEA Sun is the UK’s number 1 suncare brand and partner with Cancer Research UK to share important sun safety information with the public. Together we ask everyone to 1) Seek Shade 2) Cover Up 3) Apply Sunscreen.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

I was diagnosed with a basal cell carcinoma on my nose when I was just 30, so am always extremely cautious both with myself and my children.

I always use good quality sun cream such as Nivea or Ambre Solaire and have a number of SPF levels available. I never go below 50 for face and am cautious with lower factors.

When my children were younger and we had day trips to the beach, we would make an early start, so that we were at the beach by about 8.30 am. This way, we could have fun on the beach and then come off the beach around 11.30 - before the peak of the day. Whenever on beach holidays, the most important new piece of clothing for each of the children was a sun protection suit or top for the water. However effective sun cream is, there is always the risk of missing an area of the body or the cream washing off when spending a long time in water. A good sun protection suit completely protects delicate skin and is less annoying to children then constantly having sun cream applied.

I always think of an expression my children learnt at primary school (I believe it was a common phrase in Australia) - Slip, Slop, Slap - slip on a top, slap on suncream and slap on a hat. Certainly something that stuck with my children and is a good reminder.

Don't sunbathe. Always wear suncream and get the kids in the habit of using it.
Don't make a big thing about being tanned.

hats all round and in cars, in bags and by the door and same with suncream - i am trying to get my girls to put it on in the morning as part of their general getting up routine

I use a wide brim tennis hat that I bought from primark and I use a spf 50 face cream that I reapply all the time.

We take sunscreen everywhere with us! Especially as the medication my daughter is on makes her extra prone to sunburn. When the kids were babies, the snoozeshade was brilliant for covering their buggy to keep them safer in the sun.

Slap on the sunscreen! If we are planning a beach day we take a huge parasol and pop up tent. Always wear a hat and cover up shoulders. If at all possible find shade between 12 and 3, so popping off for lunch or a walk somewhere.

Always put a high factor of sun cream on, provide a shady area for when it gets really hot. Have plenty of hydrating drinks. Reapply sun cream as suggested on the instructions.

I think it's all been said, but I'd like to agree with how important sunscreen, hats, hydration, looking for the shade is. I have friends who've suffered skin cancer and others whose skin is ruined by years of sunbathing. That wrinkly cleavage in your 60s is really not attractive!

I don't think enough importance is given to wearing sunglasses when it's bright. Your eyes can be damaged permanently by too much exposure to strong sunlight.

Try to stay in the shade as much as possible. When you can’t, keep reapplying a high factor sun cream and use both sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat.

Thanks to everyone who took part in this sponsored discussion. The winner of the prize draw is @Holidayenthusiast - congrats!

Hats and sunscreen minimum factor 30.

Keep hats handy for nipping out like with the peg bag!

Wear a hat and sunscreen