How do I tell if my toddler has spring allergies or a cold?

Look at itchiness and timing. Allergies often cause itchy, watery eyes and an itchy nose or throat, no fever, and symptoms that last for weeks while pollen is high or return the same time each year. A cold usually clears in about 7 to 10 days, can come with a fever, and itchiness is rarely a complaint. If cold-like symptoms last more than a week or two, talk to your pediatrician before giving any allergy medicine.

Can I put sunscreen on my toddler, and what SPF?

Yes. From 6 months of age, sunscreen is recommended for exposed skin. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15; SPF 30 is a common choice and you can go up to SPF 50. Reapply every 2 hours, and after swimming, sweating, or towel drying. Pair it with shade, a brimmed hat, and limiting direct sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For babies under 6 months, rely on shade and clothing and use only small amounts of sunscreen when shade is not available.

Is DEET insect repellent safe for a 1- to 3-year-old?

DEET is registered for use on children with no minimum age set by the EPA, and it is effective. The AAP advises extra care under age 2, using it sparingly, and concentrations of about 10 to 30 percent for children. Higher concentration only means longer protection: roughly 10% lasts about 2 hours and 30% about 5 hours; above 50% adds nothing. Apply it to your own hands first, then to your child, avoiding the eyes, mouth, and hands, and not under clothing. Wash it off when you come back inside. Do not use oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD products on children under 3.

What should I check at the playground in spring?

Touch metal slides, bars, and steps first, since sun-heated metal and dark plastic can burn small skin. Confirm there is a soft surface under the equipment, such as mulch, sand, wood chips, pea gravel, or rubber, not concrete or packed dirt. Supervise actively and stay close, choose equipment sized for your child's age, and remove bike helmets and any clothing with neck drawstrings or necklaces before your child climbs, because both can catch on equipment.

How worried should I be about water safety with a toddler?

Take it seriously. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, about 4,000 deaths a year in the US, and it happens in seconds and is usually silent. Toddlers can drown in pools, ponds, buckets, and bathtubs. Assign one adult as a water watcher with no phone whenever water is nearby, and empty buckets and small pools right after use.

Spring · Toddler 1–3 yr

Spring care for toddlers: allergies, sun, and bugs

Warmer days mean more time outside. They also bring pollen, stronger sun, and the first mosquitoes. Here is what to handle as the season turns.

Your toddler is outdoors more now. That changes what their skin, eyes, and nose are exposed to. This guide covers four spring tasks for ages 1 to 3: telling seasonal allergies from a cold, using sunscreen the right way, applying insect repellent safely, and staying safe at the playground and near water. Each section is grounded in AAP and CDC guidance. Read the red-flag note before your first outing.

6 min read Spring Updated June 2026

Reviewed against current AAP and CDC guidance

Seasonal allergies or a cold?

Sign	Seasonal allergy	Cold
Itchy, watery eyes	Common	Uncommon
Itchy nose, mouth, or throat	Common	Rarely a complaint
Runny nose, sneezing, congestion	Yes, often clear mucus	Yes, mucus may thicken
Fever	No	Sometimes
How long it lasts	Weeks, while pollen is high	Usually 7 to 10 days
Timing	Returns about the same time each year	Anytime, often with other sick people around

What to do about allergy symptoms

Suspect a seasonal allergy when cold-like symptoms last more than a week or two, or come back at the same time each year. Itchiness is the hallmark of an allergy and is not usually part of a cold. Do not start an over-the-counter allergy medicine on your own for a toddler this age. Treatment should start with your pediatrician, who can confirm the cause and tell you what is safe at your child's age and weight.

Sun safety: sunscreen is now in play

Under 6 months

Keep your baby out of direct sunlight. Use shade from a tree, umbrella, or stroller canopy.
Dress them in lightweight clothing that covers arms and legs, plus a brimmed hat.
If shade and clothing are not enough, apply a small amount of sunscreen to exposed skin like the face and backs of the hands.

Shade and clothing do most of the work at this age.

6 months and older (your toddler)

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15; SPF 30 is a common choice, up to SPF 50.
Broad-spectrum means it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Check the label.
Apply before going out, and reapply every 2 hours, and after swimming, sweating, or towel drying.
Limit time in direct sun between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., when UV rays are strongest.
Add a hat with an all-around 3-inch brim to shield the face, ears, and back of the neck.

Sunscreen plus shade and a hat is the full set. You do not need a separate product for every body part.

Bug season: repellent that is safe for toddlers

Choosing a product

DEET works and has no EPA minimum age. The AAP advises extra care under age 2, using it sparingly, and concentrations in the 10 to 30 percent range for children.
Concentration sets how long it lasts, not how strong it is: about 10% DEET protects for roughly 2 hours, about 30% for roughly 5 hours.
Going above 50% DEET does not add protection.
Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children younger than 3 years.

Applying it safely

Spray or rub repellent onto your own hands first, then put it on your child. Avoid their eyes and mouth.
Do not apply to a toddler's hands; they end up in the mouth and eyes.
Do not apply under clothing, or on cuts or irritated skin. Apply to exposed skin only.
Use sunscreen and repellent as two separate steps. Do not use a combined sunscreen-plus-repellent product, since sunscreen is reapplied more often than repellent.
When you come back indoors, wash the treated skin with soap and water, and wash treated clothing.
For young babies in a stroller or carrier, cover it with mosquito netting instead of applying repellent.

Playground and outdoor exploration

Stay close and supervise actively. Lack of supervision is linked with nearly half of playground injuries, so stay within reach rather than glancing up from a bench.
Touch metal slides, steps, and bars before your child does. Sun-heated metal and dark plastic can get hot enough to burn small skin.
Choose equipment geared to your child's age and size: lower platforms, bucket-style swings, shorter slides.
Look for a soft surface under equipment, such as mulch, wood chips, sand, pea gravel, or safety-tested rubber. Steer clear of play structures set over concrete, asphalt, or packed dirt.
Take off bike helmets and anything with a neck drawstring or necklace before climbing. Both can catch and strangle on equipment.
Bring water. Toddlers overheat faster than adults and do not always ask for a drink.
Scan new outdoor areas first for water, traffic, drop-offs, and plants your child might put in their mouth before you let them roam.

Water and heat: act now

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4. It happens in seconds and is usually silent, with no splashing or shouting.
About 4,000 people die from drowning in the US each year, an average of 11 per day. Toddlers can drown in pools, ponds, buckets, and bathtubs.
Designate one adult as the water watcher near any water, with no phone. Empty buckets, kiddie pools, and tubs right after use.
If a child is unresponsive or not breathing, have someone call 911 and start CPR immediately.
Heat emergency: if your toddler has a temperature of 103 degrees F or higher with hot, flushed skin, confusion, no sweating, or is hard to wake, move them to shade or air conditioning, cool them with water, and call 911.

Call your pediatrician

Cold-like symptoms that last more than a week or two, or return the same time each year, so allergies can be confirmed and managed.
Eye redness with thick discharge, swelling, or pain, rather than the clear, itchy, watery eyes of allergies.
Wheezing, fast breathing, or a nighttime cough that keeps your toddler awake.
A sunburn with blistering, or a burn on a baby younger than 1 year.
A spreading rash, severe swelling, or a reaction after an insect bite or sting.

Severe allergic reaction: call 911

Call 911 right away if your toddler has trouble breathing, wheezing, or noisy breathing.
Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat.
Widespread hives, sudden pale or blue skin, vomiting, or going limp, drowsy, or unresponsive after a bite, sting, or food.
If your child has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, use it immediately, then call 911. Do not wait to see if symptoms pass.

Quick answers

How do I tell if my toddler has spring allergies or a cold?: Look at itchiness and timing. Allergies often cause itchy, watery eyes and an itchy nose or throat, no fever, and symptoms that last for weeks while pollen is high or return the same time each year. A cold usually clears in about 7 to 10 days, can come with a fever, and itchiness is rarely a complaint. If cold-like symptoms last more than a week or two, talk to your pediatrician before giving any allergy medicine.
Can I put sunscreen on my toddler, and what SPF?: Yes. From 6 months of age, sunscreen is recommended for exposed skin. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15; SPF 30 is a common choice and you can go up to SPF 50. Reapply every 2 hours, and after swimming, sweating, or towel drying. Pair it with shade, a brimmed hat, and limiting direct sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. For babies under 6 months, rely on shade and clothing and use only small amounts of sunscreen when shade is not available.
Is DEET insect repellent safe for a 1- to 3-year-old?: DEET is registered for use on children with no minimum age set by the EPA, and it is effective. The AAP advises extra care under age 2, using it sparingly, and concentrations of about 10 to 30 percent for children. Higher concentration only means longer protection: roughly 10% lasts about 2 hours and 30% about 5 hours; above 50% adds nothing. Apply it to your own hands first, then to your child, avoiding the eyes, mouth, and hands, and not under clothing. Wash it off when you come back inside. Do not use oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD products on children under 3.
What should I check at the playground in spring?: Touch metal slides, bars, and steps first, since sun-heated metal and dark plastic can burn small skin. Confirm there is a soft surface under the equipment, such as mulch, sand, wood chips, pea gravel, or rubber, not concrete or packed dirt. Supervise actively and stay close, choose equipment sized for your child's age, and remove bike helmets and any clothing with neck drawstrings or necklaces before your child climbs, because both can catch on equipment.
How worried should I be about water safety with a toddler?: Take it seriously. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, about 4,000 deaths a year in the US, and it happens in seconds and is usually silent. Toddlers can drown in pools, ponds, buckets, and bathtubs. Assign one adult as a water watcher with no phone whenever water is nearby, and empty buckets and small pools right after use.

Sources & further reading

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This guide reflects current AAP and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.