TAKE THE CHILL OUT OF WINTER FUN While freezing winter temperatures keep most adults indoors to escape the cold, many children want to play outside all day. Safe Kids USA offers the following tips to help parents and caregivers supervise their children’s play. Frostbite. Exposure to cold without adequate protection can result in frostbite. Be sure to:
	Dress children warmly in several layers of clothing and include boots, gloves or mittens and hat.
	Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play. Call children in periodically to warm up with warm drinks such as hot chocolate.
	Limit the amount of time that infants are outdoors when it is colder than 40 degrees F. Infants lose body heat quickly.
Ice skating. Children should skate only on approved surfaces. Check for posted signs or call local authorities to find out which areas have been approved. Children should be taught to:
	Skate in the same direction as the crowd and avoid darting across the ice.
	Never skate alone.
Sledding. Parents and caregivers should look for:
	Areas without rocks, logs or other obstacles, and far from traffic. Children should sled on gently sloping hills covered with packed snow (not ice).
	Sturdy and safe construction of equipment. Avoid equipment with sharp and jagged edges.
	Energy absorbing pads on sled seats. Teach children always to sit up while riding downhill--lying flat increases the chance of head and abdominal injuries.
	Easy steering. Avoid makeshift sleds.
Children should never ride in a sled that is being pulled by a motor vehicle. Snow skiing. Parents should make sure that children:
	Enroll in ski lessons.
	Use caution on the ski lift.
	Be aware of other people on the slope, and never ski alone.
	Wear eye protection and sun protection even on cloudy days.

Acknowledgments:
National SAFE KIDS Campaign