When PlaySpaces Attack!

Yesterday I took my kids to the Environmental Nature Center (ENC) in Newport Beach. It's a great location that I will be featuring in my upcoming PlaySpaces e-book, and I wanted to get a few more pictures and let the kids explore. We headed out towards the butterfly house, which is closed for the season, but quickly got sidetracked when my 16-month old, Isabel, grabbed the red fruit of a prickly pear cactus that loomed much too close to the hand rail of the steps. I intercepted as soon as I saw what was happening and tried to carefully remove the tiny hairlike spines that were stuck to the palm of her hand.

A staff member conveniently walked by and I asked for assistance. She took me to the administrative office where she pulled out their bag of cactus spine removal tricks. First we tried using duct tape. On a larger surface it might have been effective but on tiny moving hands it just wasn't working. Then we tried flicking the spines with a credit card. Again, could have worked on a stable surface. Finally, we got the tweezers which work every time. After a few stressful minutes Isabel was finally free of the cactus spines. I found one or two more later that day but overall we did a good job of getting them out there in the office.

What could have been a horrible experience was made much more pleasant with the help of the attentive ENC staff and I thank them for their assistance. Isabel was surprisingly calm about the cactus spines. It was only her fear of strangers that caused her tears. Still, while one kind staff member helped me with Isabel, another entertained my son, Dennis by looking for spiders.

Once again, we made our way out to the trail - this time being extra careful to avoid the cacti.

I was reminded that accidents can happen on any adventure and it is important to always be prepared. So here are a few reminders to keep you and your little explorers safe and healthy when you're out and about.

• Keep a small first aid kit in your car for on-the-road emergencies.
• Keep a change of clothes in the car for each child and a blanket or a few light jackets for each family member. You never know when someone will get wet, muddy, or when the weather might shift.
• If you aren't sure how to address an injury, ask for help.
• Stay away from cacti or other thorny and spiny plant species.
• Know what poison oak and poison ivy look like and keep your distance.
• Keep an extra gallon jug of water in the back of your car to be used for drinking, cleaning, or flushing.
• Follow all safety warnings posted on-site.

Enjoy your next family outing, and stay safe out there!

Prickly pear cactus looming near the handrail at ENC.