It’s summertime, and that means it’s time for kids to get outside and play!

To prepare for the minor scrapes and bumps that will inevitably happen over the next three months, make sure your home’s first aid kit is stocked and ready, and when possible, try to find natural ways to treat the problems.

To get you started, here are five common summertime injuries and ailments and natural ways that you can treat them.

Minor Cuts and Scrapes: Clean the area with warm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap and pat dry. Soak a cotton ball with witch hazel and carefully clean the area again with the witch hazel. Allow the injury to air dry and then cover it with a band aid or sterile gauze.

Itchy bug bites: For mosquito and other minor bug bites, use a green salve that contains plantain herb and calendula flower. The plantain herb will help soothe itchy skin while the calendula flower heals inflammation.

Poison ivy, oak and sumac: Oatmeal contains chemicals called avenanthramides and phenols. These chemicals have anti-inflammatory properties that help temporarily relieve the itching and redness associated with poison ivy, oak and sumac allergies. You can use it in a bath or in a paste. For the bath, add approximately two cups of colloidal oatmeal (oatmeal that has been ground into a fine powder) to warm water (hot water can dry out and further irritate skin). Soak for ten minutes and then wash the skin with a warm shower. Pat dry and dress in breathable, comfortable clothing.

Seasonal respiratory allergies: For nasal congestion, older children can use a squirt bottle to clear nasal passages with a saline solution. For an itchy, sore throat, have your child gargle warm salt water. Another natural way to soothe respiratory allergies is through your diet. Spicy foods (like cayenne pepper, onions, ginger and garlic)can help thin mucus and clear stuffy noses, while citrus fruits, apples, parsley, tea, tomatoes, broccoli and lettuce contain quercetin, a natural compound that prevents cells from releasing histamine.

Sore muscles: For played-out muscles or growing pains, use an all-natural skin balm, such as Badger Sore Muscle Rub.

*These remedies are not intended to replace the advice of a practicing medical doctor. If you believe an injury is serious, consult a doctor immediately or dial 9-1-1 for help.*

Katheryn Rivas frequently researches and writes about a variety of topics, yet her main interests include education and the validation of accredited online universities. For questions or comments, she can be reached at katherynrivas87@gmail.com.