Follow these tips to stay safe on your next family outing to the nearby amusement park in your destination:

Avoid Sunburn. Sunburn is almost inevitable when you plan to spend the day outdoors. Load yourself and the kids up with sunscreen and reapply as the day goes on.

Dehydration Is Another Risk You Take Being Active Outside. Bring along water for the family and remind them to drink up.

Follow Age, Height, Weight, and Health Restrictions. We all understand the disappointment when a child isn’t tall enough to ride certain amusement park rides. However, those rules and height requirements are there for a reason. Avoid the temptation to cheat.

Lost Kids and Amusement Parks Seem to go Hand in Hand. There are many companies offering identification for lost children which includes having your phone number listed. My favorites are the temporary tattoos by SpotMeId.com which provides a visible spot to write mom or dad’s cell phone number.

Find a Mom. Prepare your child for what to do if you do get separated. While finding a park employee is great, it’s sometimes hard to distinguish them amid the crown. Instead, tell junior to look for another mommy to approach and ask her for help.
Don’t force fun. If your kid is intimidated by a ride and refuses to go on, find one he or she will ride. Trying to entice a child to hop on a ride she isn’t comfortable with doesn’t do anyone any favors and will probably mean you will have a hard time convincing her to go to the park next time.

Observe the Children Getting Off the Rides. When trying to decide if a ride is right for your child, eavesdrop on kids exiting the ride. Are they talking about feeling sick? Was the ride too scary? Not everyone is made for the same rides, take that into consideration before getting into line.

Take Time Between Eating and Riding. This is an obvious tip, but you would be surprised how many people don’t wait long enough after eating.

Photo credit: Womensday.com