Keep winter activities safe and fun

Ice skating

Each year, thousands of children are treated in emergency rooms for ice-skating injuries. With extra care, even kids as young as 3 safely can enjoy the sport.

Children should be taught to:

• Skate in the same direction as the crowd.
• Avoid darting across the ice.
• Throw away chewing gum or candy before skating.
• Never skate alone.
• Never go out on the ice of a pond or stream without adult supervision.

Sledding

Thousands of children also are injured while sledding each winter. To avoid injury, parents and caregivers should look for:

• Terrain that is free of obstacles and far from traffic. Children should sled on packed snow (not ice) that is free of debris. Check carefully for snow-covered hazards such as rocks, tree limbs and stumps.
• Sturdy and safely constructed equipment.
• Energy-absorbing pads on sled seats.
• Easy-steering, non-jamming mechanisms on sleds and toboggans.
• Gently sloping terrain. Remind children to avoid lying flat on the sled while riding down hill. Always ride sitting up with feet first. Lying flat increases the chance of head and abdominal injuries.
• Children always should wear a helmet while sledding.