By Dr. Peter Klapper Ph.D,
Let’s face it. Mosquitos are a nuisance and even more-so when they’re buzzing around your children. While mosquito bites are itchy and uncomfortable, they also can be filled with disease. The potential of infected mosquito bites alone is why it’s important to keep mosquitos away from your kiddos, and we have five tricks to do it.
Tip 1: Dress To Impress (the Mosquitoes)
One of the best ways to protect yourself and your kids from mosquitos is by wearing mosquito-repellent clothing. Luckily, today, there are a lot of stylish, yet practical, options when it comes to mosquito-repellent clothing.
Insect shield clothing is treated with long-lasting insect repellent that is effective against mosquitos, ticks, ants, chiggers, and midges. It can last several washes and is durable for kids to wear. Convertible pants and long-sleeve shirts are also a great option for coverage, specifically for mosquito-prone area. One option to consider are hats with built-in mosquito netting to protect the face and neck from bites, and another tip is to wear light-colored clothing since mosquitos tend to be attracted to dark colors.
Tip 2: Bug Off! (with Repellent)
Mosquito repellent is a great option for keeping the mosquitoes at bay, but the spray, lathering and smell can make it difficult for your to kids to hold still while applying it. Instead, think of fun ways to make applying bug spray more enjoyable for kids. That can look like a “Bug Spray Dance” in which you make your kids dance around while you mist the repellent on them or making the bug spray an invisibility spray in which they become spies in order to avoid mosquitos.
Other options may include a letting your kids decorate the bug spray bottle with stickers or even create a reward system where they earn stickers on a chart for applying their bug spray before heading out. Regardless of the option, making it a game can make the experience more pleasant for everyone.
Tip 3: Mosquito-Free Zone
Once you have properly protected yourself from bites outside, you may also want to consider making your home a “no-fly zone” from mosquitos.
To create a mosquito-free environment at home, start by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed, such as in flowerpots and buckets. Use mosquito-repelling plants like citronella and lemongrass and install screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out. Mosquito nets can be used over beds and cribs, while fans can disrupt their flight indoors and outdoors. You should also consider trimming tall grass and bushes and consider using mosquito traps.
Tip 4: Timing is Everything
Have you ever noticed that you tend to get more bites toward the end of the day? Mosquitoes are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, especially right at dawn and dusk. During these peak activity periods, mosquitos are more likely to seek out warm bodies for a bite, so it’s important to have your children properly dressed and have on repellent during these times or keep them indoors.
Tip 5: Mosquito Smarts
So, you’ve done your part in helping protect your kids from mosquitos, which leaves you to now empower them to outsmart mosquitos. Whether that looks like teaching your kids to move quietly like a ninja and avoid sudden movements (mosquitoes are attracted to movement and sound) or to move swiftly when they hear a mosquito buzzing to avoid more potential bites. You should also remind your kids to avoid standing water.
Moving forward, remember to eliminate standing water, use mosquito-repelling plants, have your kids dress in light-colored, long-sleeved clothing, and avoid peak mosquito activity times. With these tips, you can enjoy some bug-free adventures and make the most of your time outdoors!
And in the case they get a bite, we got you covered with our natural and certified organic anti-itch remedy.
