Winter is an exciting time for kids. It brings great outdoor activities, such as snowboarding and skating, but also cold weather, ice and snow, which can present a danger to children. But that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the winter. Here are some winter safety tips for both parents and children.

• Never allow children to play outside alone. Establish a buddy system with one or more of their friends and have them look out for one another. Children younger than eight years of age should always be well supervised outside.

• Check from time to time to make sure children are warm and dry.

• Have younger children take frequent breaks to come inside for a warm drink.

• Never send children outside in extreme weather conditions such as snowstorms.

• Keep children indoors if the temperature falls below −25°C, or if the wind chill is −28°C or greater.

• Tell children not to put their tongues on cold metal. It may sound silly, but some kids still do it.

• Advise children to stay away from snowplows and snowblowers.

• Help children choose play areas with a warm shelter nearby such as a friend’s home.

• Advise children to play in an area away from roads, fences and water.

• Apply sunscreen to exposed skin, even when it’s cloudy.

• Dress children in several layers of clothing. If they get too warm, they can remove one layer at a time.

• Always remove children’s wet clothing and boots immediately.

• Make sure children wear a hat because most body heat is lost through the head.

• Have children keep their ears covered at all times to prevent frostbite.

• Have children wear mittens instead of gloves.

• Dress children in warm, waterproof boots that are roomy enough to wiggle their toes around.

• Remove all drawstrings from children’s clothing to prevent strangulation. Use velcro or other fasteners instead, and use a neck warmer instead of a scarf.

• Make sure children always wear a hockey or ski helmet while skating.

• Make sure children’s skates are comfortable, with good ankle support, to avoid twists, sprains or breaks.

• When possible, have children skate on public indoor or outdoor rinks. If this is not possible, children should remember to:

  • Obey all signs posted on or near the ice. Yellow signs usually mean skate with caution, and red usually means no skating allowed.

  • Make sure they are always supervised on the ice.

  • Never assume it’s safe to skate on a lake or pond. An adult should make sure the ice is at least 10 cm (four inches) thick, and check with local weather authorities for information about ice thickness.

  • Avoid walking on ice near moving water. Ice formed on moving water, such as rivers and creeks, will vary in thickness and is highly unpredictable.

Children should:

• Take lessons from a qualified skiing or snowboarding instructor.

• Never ski or snowboard alone.

• With parents, check equipment every year for fit and maintenance. Bindings should be checked annually by a qualified technician.

• Make sure they’re in control of their speed. Many injuries result from a loss of control. Stunts and fatigue also lead to injuries.

• Always wear a helmet with side vents that allow them to hear.

• When snowboarding, wear wrist guards to reduce the risk of wrist injury.

• Dress safely. Wear brightly-coloured clothing, and warm hats and mittens.

• Avoid icy hills. The risk of falls and injuries increases in icy conditions.

• Watch out for other skiiers and snowboarders, as well as any other obstacles, on the slopes.

• Stay in designated areas and on marked trails.

* With lessons from a certified instructor, it's okay for younger children to snowboard; however, their coordination is not fully developed until age 10 years.

Children should:

• Always wear either a ski or hockey helmet – not a bicycle helmet – while sledding.

• Never use a sled with sharp or jagged edges.

• Make sure the handholds on the sled are secure.

• Always sit up or kneel on a sled. Lying down increases the risk of head, spine and abdominal injuries.

• Never sled on or near roadways.

• Look for shallow slopes that are free of trees, fences or any other obstacles.

• Avoid sledding on crowded slopes.

Children should NOT:

• Build snow forts or make tunnels. They may collapse and suffocate a child.

• Play in or on snow banks. The driver of a snowplow or other vehicle may not see a child.

Children should NOT throw snowballs. Snowball fights can lead to injuries, especially to the eyes. Snowballs are more dangerous if the snow is hard-packed or contains a rock or some other hard object.

• Children and adults should wear an approved helmet at all times. Head injuries are the leading cause of snowmobile-related deaths.

• Children younger than five years of age should never ride on a snowmobile, even with an adult.

• Children younger than 16 years of age should not operate a snowmobile.

• Anyone operating a snowmobile should take a formal safety training program.

• Never tow a child behind a snowmobile on a tube, tire, sled or saucer.