Sun Safety That Actually Sticks

You pack the chairs, the cooler, the shin guards—and remember sunscreen right as the whistle blows. No shame. Game days move fast, and sunscreen has this magical ability to disappear from your mental checklist just when you need it most.

I’ve been there, and one of the worst feelings is watching your child experience pain and discomfort from the sun—especially when it was entirely preventable. There’s nothing quite like the guilt of realizing your kid is lobster-red after a tournament because you got caught up in the game and forgot the basics. The real challenge? Building a routine that survives real-life chaos and parental brain fog, because most of us already know sun safety matters.

Two Moves That Change Everything

Keep a roll-on, broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher in your sports bag permanently. By permanently, I mean superglue it to the inside if you have to. Roll-ons and sticks are your friend: quick and less messy. Kids can swipe them across noses, cheeks, ears, and necks without turning it into a WWE match. Look for “water-resistant” on the label so it holds up against the inevitable sweat waterfall.

Then make halftime your automatic reapply moment. Sunscreen wears off with time, sweat, and towel-wiping. Sometimes it disappears faster than your patience during a referee’s questionable call. Using halftime turns “I forgot” into “this is just what we do.” No formal halftime? Use the mid-practice water break or when everyone gathers for subs—basically any moment when kids aren’t moving at full speed.

Hit the Hot Spots Every Time

Go for broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays. SPF 30 is your minimum; higher numbers are fine, but they don’t excuse skipping reapplication—physics doesn’t care how much you paid for that SPF 70.

Target the sneaky burn zones that always seem to get missed: tops of ears, back of neck, and the scalp line where ponytails expose skin. Don’t forget tops of hands and feet if gear leaves them uncovered. Short-sleeved uniforms? Quick pass to shoulders before warm-ups. These forgotten spots have a talent for complaining the loudest later, usually right around bedtime.

Keep It Simple, Not Perfect

Store the roll-on next to the water bottle where you’ll actually see it, not buried under seventeen pairs of shin guards. Apply during the same cue every time—before warm-ups and at halftime. If your family prefers spray sunscreens, spray close to the skin and rub it in for even coverage on arms and legs, because streaky protection is like a half-built fence—it doesn’t work where you need it most.

Don’t let cloudy skies fool you into skipping the routine. Up to 80% of UV rays still get through on overcast days. The sun doesn’t take weather suggestions. Keep SPF 30 lip balm in the side pocket for a quick pass as they head back out, since lips burn faster than you’d think and complain longer than you’d prefer.

Smart Gear Makes It Easier

Sunscreen is your foundation, but shade and clothing make it stronger. Set up near trees or bring a canopy for the bench—anything that gives kids a break from feeling like they’re playing inside a convection oven. Lightweight caps during warm-ups and sport sunglasses with UV protection help. Breathable long sleeves on scorching days also reduce the real estate you need to cover.

Well-hydrated kids feel better and cool more efficiently, making them more willing to stand still for reapplication instead of fidgeting like they’re auditioning for a dance routine.

Handle the Tricky Stuff

Sensitive skin: Choose fragrance-free formulas and avoid the eye area. Use a stick around eyes, lotion on the rest of the face.

Acne-prone skin: Look for “non-comedogenic” on the label. Apply after light moisturizer so it glides smoothly. That prevents the drag that feels like spackling drywall.

Deeper skin tones: Choose formulas labeled “sheer,” “invisible,” or “clear.” That avoids the dreaded white cast. Nobody wants to look like they’re cosplaying as a ghost.

The best sunscreen is the one your child will actually wear every time, not the one that sits unused because it feels like applying pancake batter.

Winter Sports Count Too

Temperature doesn’t predict UV exposure, despite what your frozen toes might suggest. Overcast skies still allow significant sun damage, and snow reflects sunlight back onto faces as effectively as water—it’s like nature’s own spotlight system. Keep the same rhythm for winter tournaments and early spring scrimmages when you’re convinced the sun has taken a vacation.

When to Reapply in Real Life

Water-resistant formulas buy you time, not immunity. Those “80 minutes water-resistant” claims are under perfect laboratory conditions, not real-world conditions where kids sweat like they’re training for the Olympics and wipe their faces with jerseys that have seen better days.

Good habit: towel, water, sunscreen, in that order, whenever the team stops to catch their breath. It’s like a pit stop for humans.

Keep Your Gear Fresh

Check expiration dates at the start of each season. Sunscreen loses strength over time and faster when it bakes in hot cars like a forgotten casserole. If a bottle has survived a summer in your trunk, replace it. A sour smell usually means it’s plotting revenge. A fresh bottle costs less than dealing with post-tournament sunburn and the inevitable “Why didn’t you remind me?” accusations.

Your Game-Day Flow

Saturday tournament, thirty minutes early: Quick swipe on face, ears, neck, shoulders, and hands while your player ties cleats and debates whether today is the day they’ll remember to stretch. During the first water break, reapply to the nose and cheeks. Sweat usually stages a hostile takeover by then. At halftime, repeat the short version and hand over lip balm. Between games, find shade and do light reapplication across high-exposure zones. Before heading home, one last pass to beat the late-afternoon sun that’s determined to undo all your good work.

None of these steps takes more than a minute, but together they keep your child comfortable that evening and ready for the next day instead of resembling a sad lobster.

Make It a Team Thing

If you’re the team parent, set shared expectations at the preseason meeting. Model it without fanfare—a quick “sunscreen, then water” becomes background noise after a week, like the sound of cleats on concrete or parents debating whether that was actually offside. Keep spare sticks in the team bag for kids who forgot. Good habits spread when they’re normal and easy, not when they require a PhD in logistics.

What Good Enough Actually Looks Like

You don’t need perfect products or perfect timing. You need familiar sunscreen in the right place and a reliable moment to reapply. Broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, water-resistant. Apply before warm-ups, again at halftime, once more if the day runs long.

That’s it. No stress, no lectures, no need to become the sunscreen police—just a simple rhythm that protects skin, keeps kids comfortable, and lets everyone focus on the game instead of whether someone’s going to look like they hugged a lobster by dinnertime.

Ian Goldberg is the CEO of Signature Media and the Editor of the largest and fastest growing sports parenting newsletter.  He’s been recognized as an industry expert by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, the US Olympic Committee’s Truesport, and the Aspen Institute’s Project Play.  Ian is also a suburban NJ sports dad of two teenage daughters and has over 2,000 hours of volunteer time coaching them (which he calls the most fun form of  R&D for his newsletter content).  Ian and his team provide players, coaches, parents and program directors with the articles and content they need to have a great sports season.  Ian has spent most of his career in digital product development and marketing and got his start at the White House where he worked for the economic advisors to two US Presidents.