July 27, 2023 Resources for August Observances Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them. Here is a list of resources for August observances: Month-Long Observances Summer Sun Safety Month CDC Shares Sun Safety Tips for Schools, Trying Together Allegheny County Shares Summer Safety Guidance, Trying Together Summer Safety Brochure, Allegheny County Health Department, Trying Together Sun Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Be Safe in the Sun, American Cancer Society Sun Protection, American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Sun Protection Tips for Those with Black and Brown Skin, Boston University Sun Safety and Prevention, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) August is National Immunization Awareness Month, Trying Together National Immunization Awareness Month, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Recommended Vaccinations for Infants and Children, Parent-Friendly Version, Birth through 6 Years, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccines for Your Children By Age, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Spanish / Español Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month National Center Releases Guide on Children’s Eye Health, Trying Together An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers, National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health Eye Health and Safety for Kids, National Eye Institute (NEI) Get Free or Low-Cost Eye Care For Children, National Eye Institute (NEI) Eye Conditions and Diseases, National Eye Institute (NEI) Spanish / Español 6 Ways to Be Proactive About Your Child’s Eye Health, John Hopkins Medicine Keep an Eye on Your Child’s Vision, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Resources for Parents of Blind and Low-Vision Children, Library of Congress: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Parenting Without Sight: What Attorneys and Social Workers Should Know About Blindness, National Federation of the Blind How to Get Free Audio Books for the Blind and Visually Impaired, The Braille Institute 25+ Children’s Books Featuring Visually Impaired Characters, WonderBaby Back to School Month Allegheny Child Care What is Allegheny Child Care? 2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration Information, Trying Together Top 10 Skills for Children Entering Kindergarten, Trying Together Your Child is Going to Kindergarten: Family Guide (ECLKC), Trying Together Kindergarten Transition: A Guide for Families, Trying Together National Breastfeeding Month Breastfeeding Resources, Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh, Trying Together Breastfeeding Classes August is National Breastfeeding Month: This is Our Why, U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) Lactation Support, Healthy Start Center for Urban Breastfeeding (HSCUB) Breastfeeding, Kids Plus Pediatrics Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle (PBBC) Breast Feeding Resources, Birth Doulas of Pittsburgh Weeks of Recognition August 6 – 12 is Exercise with Your Child Week Childhood Physical Health: Resources, Trying Together Play and Physical Activity Guide for Educators & Families, Trying Together Supporting Childhood Physical Health: A Guide for Families: The Importance of Exercise, Trying Together Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health, Trying Together Air Quality Tips and Training Available for Families and Educators, Trying Together Physical Education Vocabulary for Kids, Trying Together Resources for Supporting Physical Activity, Nutrition, Play and More, Action for Healthy Kids Promoting the Physical Health of Boys (and Girls), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Days of Recognition August 1 is National Night Out (NNO) National Night Out Returns to Pittsburgh, Trying Together City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety About National Night Out National Night Out Resources August 9 is National Book Lovers Day Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List, Trying Together Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success, Trying Together 2023 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, Trying Together Children’s Books on Race and Equity, Trying Together Books to Celebrate Gender Expression, Inclusion, and Pride, Trying Together Children’s Books About Transitions, Trying Together Children’s Books About Mental Health, Trying Together Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs, Trying Together August 15 is National Back To School Prep Day 2023-2024 Kindergarten Registration Information, Trying Together 101 Back-to-School Tips for Parents and Kids, Care.com Back-to-School Tips, HealthyChildren.org 10 Considerations Before Going Back to School as a Parent, Parents Magazine August 26 is Women’s Equality Day Family Guide: Gender and Gender Identity, Trying Together Women’s Equality Day, The National Women’s History Alliance Women for a Healthy Environment (WHE) The Pittsburgh Women’s Alliance Women’s Issues Support Groups in Pittsburgh, Psychology Today The Women and Girls Foundation
June 8, 2023 CDC Shares Sun Safety Tips for Schools The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shared sun safety tips for schools, as recess and other outdoor activities can excessively expose children to the sun. Teachers, school administrators, child care providers, out-of-school time (OST) professionals, and support staff can take steps to protect students from sun exposure and developing sun-related skin conditions later in life. Sun Safety Tips For Schools Increase Shade Provide shade structures or trees. Move outdoor activities to shaded areas. Plan for shade when developing or renovating school buildings, playgrounds, or athletic fields. Shade Planning for America’s Schools [PDF-975KB] can guide you. Promote Sun-Safe Behaviors Encourage students to wear hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen outdoors. Try to avoid scheduling outdoor activities when the sun is strongest. Provide breaks during outdoor activities so that students can reapply sunscreen and get water. Use Proven Educational Programs Proven skin cancer prevention interventions and educational programs are available for child care centers and schools. The National Cancer Institute’s Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs website lists sun-safety programs for schools. Additional Information & Resources About UV Rays and Sun Exposure Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can damage skin cells. Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays can reach individuals on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow. In the continental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time). The UV Index forecasts the strength of UV rays each day. If the UV index is 3 or higher in your area, protect skin from too much exposure to the sun. Additional Resources The following resources offer additional information on sun exposure and sunscreen application: Guidelines for Applying Sunscreen in a Child Care Program, Extension Alliance for Better Child Care Summer is Here and So Is the Sun, PennState Extension: Better Kid Care Sunscreen Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Education Sunscreen FAQs, American Academy of Dermatology Association Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Learn More To learn more, visit the CDC website.
June 5, 2023 Allegheny County Shares Summer Safety Guidance The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) and Department of Health (ACDOH) have published a Summer Safety Guide and Video to help families implement protective practices in the coming months. About the Summer Safety Guide and Video Warmer, sunny days encourage adults and children to get out and enjoy their surroundings. The Summer Safety Guide and Video offer some simple tips that make summer more fun and safe. These resources include information on: basic safety car safety sun safety bug bites and stings safety on wheels (bikes, skateboards, in-line skates, motorcycles, etc.) play safety campfires, grills, and fireworks fire safety water safety open windows/doors chemical/poison safety Access the Summer Safety Guide and Video Access the Summer Safety Guide Access the Summer Safety Video Learn More To learn more, visit the ACDHS website.
July 17, 2020 New Summer Safety Brochure Available for Families Thanks to the warm weather and sunshine, summer in Pennsylvania offers plenty of opportunities to get outside, get active, and enjoy family activities. By heeding some simple tips, parents and caregivers can ensure that summer is both safe and fun! New Brochure Available The Allegheny County Health Department and Allegheny County Department of Human Services developed a new Summer Safety brochure, featuring important information and tips on how families can enjoy summer while staying safe. The brochure includes tips on the following topics: bug bites and stings; safety in the sun; safety on wheels; water safety; car safety; chemical and poison safety; and more. To view the full list of tips, download the brochure. More Information For more information about summer safety, visit the National Safety Council’s Summer Safety page.