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It’s summertime and many parents and caregivers are encouraging children to put down their devices and go play outside. Once in the great outdoors, kids run, jump, play, pedal, skip, and climb, and can unfortunately collect some bumps, bruises, scrapes and falls along the way. But don’t panic! For every little owie, there’s a treatment, ointment and bandage that will comfort young and old alike.

Parks and playgrounds were summer’s go-to for children across Canada. It’s still uncertain times with some places opening public areas, depending on your region, and some places still off-limits, especially for children. Even still, some Canadians may still be unsure about venturing into common domains. With that in mind, we thought to bring you some ideas to entertain children around home – still.

Jamie recently shared a post on her social media about taking our psychological first aid course and how much it helped her, especially with her own mental health. We asked her if she would share her story with us (and you) to hopefully help others, and this is what she wrote.

Summer is here and it’s time to celebrate! Here's how we can enjoy some of our favourite summer activities safely.

The return of warmer weather is always accompanied by a rise in Canada’s insect population. The buzz of swarming bugs is frustrating for most people, but for those with severe allergies, insect bites are a real concern. Crawling insects such as ticks can harbour Lyme disease and endanger the health of all. Get the upper hand over bugs by knowing how to prevent insect bites, and the appropriate First Aid to deal with insect bites.
 

There may be some differences this swimming season - and please follow local guidelines and rules when it comes to public water - but skills in water safety and first aid stay the same. With that in mind, we are providing a series of online water safety sessions to help keep your first aid skills strong this season. 

Canadian Red Cross volunteer Erin Ellis explains why we don't always need to know what to say when someone is struggling with their mental health, and what you can do to still help. 

Walking my kids to school every day, even during the winter, has taught me to always be mindful of the temperature outside. However, when something is done daily, it becomes routine, and complacency can set in. This is how I learned about frostbite.