Teaming Up To Prevent Sunburn
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Nothing spoils a good time, and puts you at risk of skin cancer, quite like sunburn. At UV Skinz, it’s our goal to provide active families with clothing that will allow them to have fun outdoors while staying safe in the sun. Every year we get the opportunity to work with camps across the country to create custom-made UPF 50+ shirts for kids to wear in and out of the water. As parents, we know the challenges in keeping kids safe in the sun and can only imagine the magnitude of such large numbers of kids attending summer camp. One camp that we’ve had the pleasure of working with is KidsCo Camp based in Maryland. Davi Chapman of KidsCo has been so successful incorporating UV protective clothing into her programs that we thought it would be best to let her tell you all about it.
KidsCo has been such a fun camp for us at UV Skinz to work with! Can you talk a little about your camp’s history? We started back in 1998. We started with one location and have now grown into 19 school-year programs and 7 camps. We provide quality year-round care for our families throughout Montgomery County, Maryland.
We think KidsCo has built a near-perfect model for incorporating UPF 50+ Swim Shirts into camp. Has sun protection always been a priority at your camp? And if so what changes have you seen in sun protection and sunburn awareness? Being a summer camp, sun protection is always a priority. We are an “outdoor camp.” We love being outside and know the importance of sun protection, as well as responding to parents and their ongoing request for sun safety. Along with a Sunscreen Station at the entrance of all our camps, we encourage constant re-application throughout the day. When we came across UV Skinz it seemed to be a perfect marriage between our views and their product. We have made their water shirts a staple in our registration and daily camp life. We require the shirts to be worn on trip days, but find many parents purchasing multiple shirts, as their kids are excited to wear them all week!
Can you tell us a little about how you’ve worked the cost of the UPF 50+ swim shirts into your registration and how parents feel about that? For identification while off site, we have always had a T-shirt fee in registration. With the protection and bright fun colors that UV Skinz offers, we seamlessly transitioned into water shirts. This provided a level of protection that we could boast to the families, along with being water friendly. We found that the campers not only wore them on trip days, but wore them all day without prompting!
What’s the feedback you hear from staff members about having kids in the swim shirts as opposed to only using sunscreen? It has been a positive addition to our camps. The safety features of both visibility and added sun protection provide a win, win. With the coverage it provides, it makes it easier to stay on top of constant sun protection for everyone!
Keeping kids safe while at camp is a number-one priority. We like to think that includes keeping kids safe from sunburns. What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered over the years with regard to sunburn and sunburn prevention? Sun is a constant concern that parents have for their children. Along with the UV Skinz shirt, we have put sunscreen stops at all camp entrances for families that may need that last-minute application before the day starts. Being outside and around water as much as we are, re-application and proper application has been an ongoing challenge.
How long have you been using UPF 50 + swim shirts for your campers? We have used the UV shirts for about 5 years and counting.
What feedback and/or concerns do you hear from parents when it comes to swim shirts and sunscreen? They love the swim shirts and all the protection it provides for their active camper. It is a welcome addition to the sunscreen in a bottle.
What would you say are the top three advantages for providing UV Skinz Swim Shirts to campers?
1. Sun protection, of course!
2. Quick visibility of campers and brand recognition whenever we are off site!
3. The wonderful partnership we have cultivated with our UV Skinz family!
Call or email us at camp@uvskinz.com if you would like to discuss how we can join forces to help give your kids their best camp experience.