Summertime is almost here and your child is probably itching to make a big splash in your backyard pool. However, before he or she jumps with both feet in, one of the most important things to introduce your child to is water safety. And since pool season isn’t quite in full swing just yet, now is the perfect time to introduce kids to how to stay safe and swim safe when around the pool, starting with:
Kids will be tempted to race, run, and gallop around the pool when playing with friends, but it’s incredibly important for parents and guardians to enforce a strict “NO RUNNING” policy. Not only can children trip and slip into the pool, but they can also fall onto the deck and hit their head on the hard ground below.
Walking around the pool isn’t the most fun water safety tip, but parents can make it fun by encouraging children to invent with their own special or goofy “pool walk” that will keep things fun, yet encourage children to walk and swim safe.
A parent or guardian should always be nearby when kids area the pool, particularly if they’re under the age of 14. By implementing a “buddy system” around the pool, you’re holding the children accountable for ensuring that a friend or family member is safe and is following your water safety rules.
It’s important for guardians to designate certain areas of the pool as being appropriate for certain activities when teaching children to swim safe. For example, if your pool is deep enough and you have a diving area, make sure that the diving area is strictly for diving only. On the flip side, no one should be jumping or leaping into the shallow end of the pool, but rather using the stairs, a ladder, or beach front entry to gain access.
