Every child enjoys the privilege of doing what the grown-ups do. Sure, wearing a raglan protects the whole body on rainy days, but using an umbrella, like Mom and Dad, is much more fun. Of course, you’ll need something to suit your little one’s size, but also with designs to suit his or her taste. This article gives you everything you need to know about choosing the right umbrella for your child. You’ll also find tips on how to teach your little one to use it properly, and how to find the best storage space for his umbrella.
Choosing the right umbrella
There’s more to choosing a child’s umbrella than design. In order to meet your little one’s expectations, but also to protect him or her as best you can on rainy days, consider the following points when making your purchase.
Safety first
The first criterion for selecting a child’s umbrella is safety. At first glance, it may seem a harmless accessory, but the user is a child. The likelihood of him or her being injured by an umbrella is therefore high, hence the importance of choosing a safe item. To do this, pay attention to these two criteria:
The opening
How can opening an umbrella harm your little one? If you choose an automatic model, the opening speed can indeed hurt him, especially if he doesn’t point the umbrella head in the right direction.
You should also check the opening and closing system. Do a test run before you buy, to make sure yourchild doesn’t pinch his fingers.
Remember to buy a model with a manual opening system, to avoid any danger.
Whalebone tips
What are whalebones? Well, they’re the metal ends of the umbrella frame. The frame holds the canopy in place once it’s open. These parts must be round to prevent your child from injuring himself with them. Incorrect handling can cut your little one’s skin, or worse, put an eye out. With a round shape, there’s less risk of injury.
What’s more, for children’s umbrellas,the whalebone ends are generally made of plastic. So make the right choice for your little one’s safety.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics should also be a priority. If your child uses a product that’s easy to use and not too restrictive, he won’t tire of it. If it’s not, they won’t want to use it after just one day. Here are the ergonomic criteria not to be overlooked.
Overall dimensions
When choosing a child’s umbrella, it’s important to avoid taking up too much space. Already, some adults refuse to take an umbrella with them, as the accessory can be imposing. When purchasing an umbrella, you can opt for folding umbrellas. These are smaller in size. This means the umbrella can be put in thechild ‘s bag when not in use. The little one will also have no trouble carrying it by hand.
Dimensions
To guarantee optimum protection for your child, it’s important to consider the umbrella‘s diameter. The choice will obviously depend on your little one’s size. He or she must be able to handle the accessory easily without wobbling. For children under 6, 35 cm models are ideal. For children aged 7 and over, choose models between 40 and 45 cm.
Weight
In relation to size, weight is also an important consideration. Longer models are generally heavier. Folding umbrellas are lighter. Of course, this also has to do with the materials used. It’s important to choose lightweight materials. For this reason, it’s best to choose umbrellas made predominantly of plastic. Aluminum and rubber items are also lightweight. For optimum comfort of use, the item should weigh between 150 and 250 grams.
Durability
Of course, even if you insist on the item’s lightness, you mustn’t neglect its strength. If you opt for an umbrella with plastic components, these parts must not be hollow. Children ‘s clumsiness sometimes causes objects to fall into their hands.
You can also opt for aluminum models. These are both strong and lightweight.
Of course, the quality of the fabric is also important. Choose fabrics with anti-UV treatment to resist the sun‘s rays.
Patterns
Not all umbrella models on the market are suitable for your child. So make sure you choose the right pattern to please your child.
For boys
Your little one won’t be using his umbrella at home, but outside on rainy days. For a little boy, you don’t want to embarrass him with an umbrella in a pink or floral design. If you don’t want your child to be the laughing stock of his whole school, give him a blue, red, black or green model. You can also opt for umbrellas with superhero, video game, car or football designs.
For a girl
Even if minds are more open to umbrellas for little girls, it’s best to choose the item according to your daughter’s tastes. Items with princess designs are very popular, as are those with flowers. Of course, don’t hesitate to ask your child ‘s opinion before buying.
Transparent models are mostly bought for girls, but they are mixed. So you can also give one to your little boy. Of course, an umbrella is not just for protection from the rain, but also from the sun during a summer walk . In this case, the transparent model won’t help.
Bell umbrella
Even with a child’s parka, you still need to protect your little one’s head and chest. For this, you can opt for a bell umbrella. This type of design is ideal for optimum protection. This type of model is generally transparent, so that the user can see through it while remaining inside.
The advantages of a children’s umbrella
A children’s umbrella offers a number of advantages.
Ergonomics
Thanks to well-thought-out manufacturing, some umbrellas feature automatic opening and closing, even in children’s models. This makes them much easier to use. Of course, it’s best to give this type of umbrella to children aged 7 or 8 and over, to minimize the risk of accidents due to the speed of opening.
Compactness
The majority of umbrellas on the market today are foldable. This makes them easier to transport. For example, you can put your child ‘s umbrella in his or her bag. That way, he won’t have to carry it by hand and lose it.
Effective protection
It’s a good idea to have your little one wear a child’s hat, as well as warm clothes to keep out the cold. However, the umbrella canvases are optimally thick. This not only protects your child from the rain, but also from the sun‘s rays. So your little one won’t get sick from the humidity or the heat.
Wind resistance
Children’s umbrellas are designed to withstand the wind. If there’s a gust of wind during a storm, the ribs won’t break easily. So your child is always well protected.
Attractive colors
Special children’s items are designed to suit little ones’ tastes. Just the sight of familiar patterns will make your little one happy. Children’s umbrellas today feature drawings of famous fictional characters. This encourages kids to use them to protect themselves from the rain.
Teaching your child to use an umbrella
Although rain has its benefits, it’s not advisable to play with it every time there ‘s a storm. Your child will quickly learn to use an umbrella on his own, but if he’s not patient, he’ll soon tire of it because of the initial inconvenience. So it’s important to teach your child the basics of using an umbrella. Here are a few tips to help.
How do I open it correctly?
Firstly, manual opening is much more advisable for children, to avoid accidents. Of course, if your child is already big enough, you can turn to automatic products. However, to avoid your little one getting a piece of whalebone in the eye or hurting someone else, he needs to learn how to open it properly.
- To start with, tell him not to stand next to another person when opening the umbrella.
- Next, have him hold the umbrella horizontally.
- Then, he should hold the handle with one hand and manually open the umbrella with the other. In the case of an automatic umbrella, all he has to do is press the button without blocking the opening with his other hand.
How to carry an umbrella properly
Your child needs to learn to respect others, even when carrying an umbrella. That’s why it’s so important for him to handle this accessory properly:
When closed
If he can’t put it in his backpack, your child needs to know good manners when carrying the umbrella once it’s closed. To avoid hurting the other children around him, tell him not to turn the umbrella every which way. If he wants to play with it, he should stand back a little from the others to prevent an accident. Ask him not to swing the umbrella back and forth. One moment’s carelessness and the item could end up in the middle of the road and cause a car accident.
When the umbrella is open
To avoid breaking the umbrella or poking someone in the eye, your child should not shake it too hard.
He should also be taught to watch out for gusts of wind during a storm. Teach him to counter the blast with the outside of the umbrella, so as not to let the object be blown away by exposing its inside. This reduces the risk of damage to the ribs.
How to look after your umbrella
All children are rambunctious by nature, so the objects we give them often end up on the scrap heap in no time. To avoid having to buy an umbrella every season, teach your little one how to take care of it. Ask him to always store the item in a safe place. When he arrives home, tell him to hang it up in the hallway to avoid someone crushing it if it falls on the floor. Don’t let him play with it, as this could not only damage the product, but also cause accidents.
Children’s umbrellas: summary
All in all, it’s essential to choose the right children’s umbrella. Your selection will help your little one appreciate this accessory, and make him want to use it on rainy days. Criteria not to be overlooked include weight, design, dimensions, size, materials and safety.
That said, you should also teach your little one how to use his umbrella properly, to prevent accidents. Ask him or her not to make too many sudden movements with the item, and to be aware of the people around him or her.
If your child is already old enough to go home on his own, teach him that it’s not always a good idea to keep going when the rain is in full swing. He can easily be swept away by water, which could be very dangerous for him. Tell him to take shelter in a corner under a terrace, or similar, until thestorm calms down. If he can’t find a safe place, ask him to head back to school.
And what about you? What type of umbrella have you chosen for your child? What criteria did you base your selection on? Tell us all about it in comments.