Day campers at Simcoe camps are getting creative to protect themselves from the sun.

Kids are getting wide-brimmed hats and craft supplies to personalize their them while at camp. The activity is part of a Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) program called A Hat is Where It’s At!

Sunlight is essential and helps our bodies develop vitamin D. Excess exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun also damages the skin and can cause skin cancer.

This summer 3,500 children at 44 YMCA and Environment Network camps are decorating hats and getting tips on how to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays.

“We felt the kids would be inclined to wear their hats more regularly if there was something fun and personal attached to them,” said Rebecca Harbridge, a SMDHU public health nurse.

The kids aren’t the only ones getting into the program. Camp counselors and staff are getting into the act, decorating their own hats to be positive role models.

The health unit is hoping the program will change the way the campers get ready for outdoor activities in the summer.  A Hat is Where It’s At! was developed by the health Unit and is a pilot program this year. It is funded by a grant from the Canadian Cancer Society Ontario division through the Greater Toronto Area Cancer Prevention and Screening Network.

Next year SMDHU is encouraging more day camps across Simcoe County to adopt the program.

The SMDHU suggest these tips for keeping your family safe from the sun: Wear hats that have brims wide enough to shade face, neck and ears from the sun. Use sunscreen that carries and SPF rating of 15 or higher. Wear clothing made of light, tightly woven, loose fitting fabrics that shade the legs and arms. Direct sunlight should also be avoided from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV rays are the strongest.

More information on sun safety can be found at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.