Summer is officially here and it is great to see so many families out enjoying the sunshine.  It always brings up the yearly reminder for sun protection, especially for children. Even one blistering sunscreen can increase a child’s risk of developing skin cancer and most sun damage occurs before age eighteen.

The Slip-Slop-Slap campaign has been underway for awhile now and since it is almost impossible to put sunscreen on a squirming toddler, I find the easiest way to ‘Slip’ on sunscreen is buy using a sun suit. My latest find was a local company that makes cute sun suits for kids.

My two year old picked out a blue Luv Bug creation and has been wearing it the last few weeks. I have to say, she loved it so much it doubled as pajamas for a few days. The added bonus is that the fabric is environmentally friendly (no harsh chemicals) and biodegradable. Some of the other characteristics are that its anti-bacterial, non-toxic and breathable.

The Natural Baby Shop in town also has a wide variety of No Zone sun suits for kids. This is our third summer using sun suits and so far I am happy to say we haven’t had a sunburn.  Of course, the idea is to keep our children safe from the sun and doing what works best for us individually. Now my quest for a hat she’ll keep on her head!

Sara Johnson is a representative of Lalabee Bathworks - a local company that handcrafts skincare products for Mommy & Baby. All their product lines are made in Kelowna using certified organic and natural ingredients.