How to Avoid Germs at a Park

Whether or not it is cold and flu season, it is always a good idea to take precautions against germs at public places. Parks and playgrounds are a place where germs can spread and taking the proper precautions against sickness and germs may keep your child from getting a cold or flu at any time of year.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Purell, Germ-X, or other antibacterial hand sanitizer

1. First, stock up on antibacterial hand sanitizer, such as Purell or Germ-X and take it, a packet of tissues and a pack of wet wipes in a small bag to carry with you at the park. Prior to leaving the car, sanitize hands and put on gloves if the weather is cold. The addition of gloves will help combat picking up germs on the hands. Remind kids to keep hands away from their mouth and nose after touching things at the park.

2. Periodically sanitize your child's hands and wipe hands with a wet wipe if they have been in contact with a child who appears to be sick or using the same playground equipment with a sick child. This is especially important during cold and flu season. It may offend someone to sanitize your child's hands after playing with their child, however, it is better to be safe than sorry if the child appears sick.

3. If there is a child playing at the park who is constantly coughing and sneezing, you may ask the parent if the child is sick. If a parent tells you the child has seasonal allergies it is still a good idea to sanitize your child's hands after playing with the other child. Allergies and colds sometimes have the same symptoms. The safest bet is to remove your child from a play area where a sick child is playing, especially if they are constantly coughing. Most parks have plenty of square footage where your child can play elsewhere. If a child coughs directly near your child's face, they could pass along sickness without touching them directly.

4. After leaving the playground and before getting into the car, sanitize hands and wipe dirt and germs from hands and face with a wet wipe. This will keep germs from getting passed around inside the car.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your child away from other children if they are sick. You don't know if another child might have a health complication where a simple case of the flu could be dangerous. If your child is playing at a park and is sick, alert other parents so they can keep their children away and playing in other areas if they are concerned with contact germs.
• Teach your child to stay away from drink cups, straws, cigarette butts, or anything that could have germs on the surface. Unfortunately there can be vandalism in a park where someone may leave something full of germs or worse on a playground. It is your job as a parent to inform your child to watch out for and stay away from these things.