Ah, summer. The sky is blue and bright, the days are longer, the grass is higher, and everyone wants to spend all their time outside. With this kind of summer fever in the air, it’s hard to keep your kiddos from getting covered in bug bites of every kind, and even more so if you’re worried about the chemicals they might be running into. If you want to keep your babies bug and chemical free, these tips are for you.

Smell Ya Later

Don’t like strong smells? Neither do mosquitos. Fortunately, the scents that mosquitos and other bugs dislike tend to be ones that are alright for us human beings. Scents like lemon eucalyptus, citronella, and lemongrass are huge no-no’s for insects, and if those aren’t for you either, you can always go for something like grapefruit, clove, or even peppermint. You can even look into garage door repair if you want. Find a skin-safe product or look around for baby-safe items that include these scents and oils.

It’s Lit

If you’re having a little trouble keeping baby still long enough to get covered in anti-bug ointment, there are other alternatives. Take the time to light a citronella candle, especially when you’re in a space small enough that it’ll keep the bugs away, or break out the incense to burn and ward them off. For those of you with tiki torches, there’s citronella fuel available to fill those with, too. Keep an eye out for all of your options.

Plant it Baby

Want to stop the bugs at the garden gate? Rearrange some of your plantings this season to include useful greenery that keeps the bugs at bay. Some common kitchen herbs, like basil and rosemary, can put the kibosh on mosquitos before they bite, while sweet scented ones like rosemary and mint keep other biting bugs far away. Designing your garden with potential bad bugs in mind can help you seriously cut down on the number of bug bites you’ll need to treat over the course of an average summer day.

While we might have our beefs with nature on certain points—like bee stings, bug bites, and the entire general concept of mosquitos—the more natural we can keep things, the better it is for our kids. In this case, the little things can add up to big benefits. You can easily combine some oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin with a bed of geraniums and a citronella candle to cover as many bases as possible, or change up the items you use to keep your kids safe in a scent-sensitive way. Have a good summer.