As summer winds down, there’s still plenty of warm days left to enjoy a cool splash in the water. Whether you have a pool in your backyard, belong to a local swim club, or go to the shore on weekends for a swim in the ocean, water safety is vital to keeping your family safe and happy.
Water Safety at Home
Having a pool isn’t just fun and games – it’s also a big responsibility. Some safety precautions in your backyard, in the pool, and other places around the house can help prevent water accidents.
Install safety features.
- Put a fence around all four side of a family pool. The fence should be at least four feet tall and have self-closing and self-latching gates.
- Install and maintain drain covers in a pool or spa to prevent entrapment.
- Consider installing an alarm to the doors or windows that lead from your house to the pool area.
- Always wear a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard if you don’t know how to swim.
Get everyone on the same page about water safety.
- Never leave a child unattended in or around water.
- Explain your water safety rules to all babysitters.
- Teach your kids basic water safety rules.
- Enroll kids in swimming lessons when they’re ready.
Be ready for an emergency.
- Keep a phone outside near the pool. This way, you can easily call for help.
- Have a first aid kit at the poolside.
- Keep rescue equipment on the pool deck.
- Learn CPR and have instructions posted near the pool.
- Always check the pool first when a child goes missing.
Be safe around the whole house.
- Always close the toilet lid and use toilet seat locks.
- Make sure that spa and pool covers work properly.
- Always empty out tubs, buckets, containers, inflatable pools, and anything else that can hold water – and store them upside down so they don’t collect water.
Rules and Public Pools
Public pools are a great way to for kids to cool off and hang out with some of their friends during the summer. But there are some big do’s and don’ts that kids and parents alike should know about.
Rules for kids
- Don’t play around by pushing or dunking friends.
- Always swim with an adult or, if old enough, a friend.
- Don’t play games where you have to hold your breath for a long time.
- Never dive in shallow water.
- Always walk when around water.
- Never swim alone or in unsupervised places.
Tips for parents
- Be vigilant about surveillance – always watch your kids without distractions (phone, tablet, book, magazine, etc.), even if there’s a lifeguard on duty.
- Practice “touch surveillance” if your child is young or a weak swimmer by always being within arm’s reach while in the water.
- Don’t trust floaties to keep your kids safe – use a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Know your kids’ swimming abilities and encourage them not to overestimate their swimming skills.
What to keep an eye out for
- Hypothermia: Young kids, especially, may get cold very quickly and may be having too much fun to even notice they’re shivering.
- Heat-related illnesses (heat exhaustion and heatstroke): Children may also, on the other hand, get overheated after being out in the sun while swimming.
- Sunburn: Always have sunblock on hand and reapply after swimming.
Beach and Ocean Safety
When swimming at the beach or another body of water, many of the “pool rules” still apply, especially when it comes to surveillance. Some key differences to be aware of and teach your kids about are:
- uneven surfaces
- sudden drop-offs
- river currents
- ocean undertow
- weather changes
Oceans, lakes, ponds, and rivers also hold potential of encountering some water wildlife. Teach your kids to look out for jellyfish and not to touch them. If your child is bitten by something, like a crab or crayfish, clean the wound or see one of the beach lifeguards. If you’re at a lake or river, be sure to keep an eye on them while near the dock. Just because they have railing doesn’t mean they can’t fall in. On top of this, if it’s your own personal dock, install Aqua Dock Lights as they can help keep kids safe in the evening.
Learn More
- Household Safety: Preventing Drowning (Nemours‘ KidsHealth.org)
- Backyard and Pool: Household Safety Checklist (Nemours’ KidsHealth.org)
- Sun Safety (Nemours’ KidsHealth.org)
- Heat Illness (Nemours’ KidsHealth.org)
