# Sunscreen, Sun and Heat Safety for Babies and Toddlers

> Sun protection by age, keeping cool in hot weather, strollers and car seats, and heat illness signs.

Stage: baby - Topic: Everyday care - Page: https://www.askcladle.com/guides/baby/baby-sun-and-heat-safety

Grounded in: AAP HealthyChildren guidance on sun safety and heat-related illness, CDC guidance on heat and children, NHTSA guidance on heatstroke in cars, and the American Academy of Dermatology. Summarized in Cradle's own words; none of these sources endorse Cradle. General information, not medical advice.

Reviewed: 2026-11

## TLDR

- Under 6 months, keep babies out of direct sun: shade, a canopy, a hat and light covering clothes first.
- Never cover a stroller with a blanket, and never leave a child alone in a car, even for a minute.
- Babies under 6 months don't need water in heat; offer extra milk. Signs of heatstroke mean call 911 and start cooling.

## Sun protection by age

Under 6 months:
- Keep babies out of direct sun as much as possible. Shade, a stroller canopy and a wide-brim hat
  come first.
- Dress in light, loose clothing that covers arms and legs.
- If shade isn't possible, a small amount of sunscreen on small areas like the face and backs of
  hands is OK.

6 months and older:
- Use broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, 15 minutes before going out. Mineral sunscreens
  with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are less likely to irritate.
- Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.
- Add a hat, sunglasses with UV protection, and sun-protective clothing.
- Plan outdoor time outside 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when you can. Clouds don't block UV.

All skin tones burn and need protection. See the toddler water and outdoor safety guide for pools
and the beach.

## Strollers and car seats in heat

- Don't drape a blanket or cloth over the stroller. It traps heat and blocks airflow. Use the canopy
  or a clip-on shade with open sides.
- Check car seat buckles and straps before buckling. Metal can burn skin in a hot car.
- Never leave a child alone in a car, even for a minute with the windows down. Put a bag or phone in
  the back seat as a reminder, and lock the car so children can't climb in.

## Keeping cool

- In hot weather, dress babies about as you'd dress yourself: one light, loose layer.
- Babies under 6 months don't need water, even in hot weather. Offer extra breast milk or formula.
- Over 6 months, offer small sips of water with meals and outdoors.
- Use fans, air conditioning, shade and cool baths. If home is hot, spend time in a cooled library
  or community center.
- At night, keep the room comfortable for a lightly dressed adult. No hats indoors for sleep, and no
  extra blankets.

## Heat rash and sunburn

- Heat rash: tiny red bumps on the neck, chest or skin folds. Cool the skin and dress lightly; it
  fades in a day or two.
- Mild sunburn in a child over 1: cool compresses, fluids and pain medicine dosed by weight.
- A sunburn in a baby under 1 year, or with blisters, needs a call to the pediatrician.

## Heat illness signs

- Heat exhaustion: thirst, fussiness, sweating, flushed or pale skin, fewer wet diapers, tiredness.
  Move indoors, cool down, and offer fluids.
- Heatstroke: very hot skin, a high temperature, vomiting, confusion, limpness or seizure. This is
  an emergency.

## When to check in

- Ask the pediatrician about rashes that don't fade, sunburn in a young baby, or signs of
  dehydration after a hot day.
- Children with eczema or on certain medicines may burn or overheat more easily; ask what to do.
- If your child shows signs of heatstroke or was left in a hot car, call 911 and start cooling them
  right away.