9 Tips to keep your children safe in pools this summer

June 24, 2019

Summer is here, and everyone wants to go outdoors and enjoy the sun. A fun and relaxing place to visit is the swimming pools. Unfortunately, pools are places where a lot of drowning accidents occur, especially with kids. If you are planning to take your kids out swimming, here are a few tips to keep them safe this summer.

Teach your children how to swim

The best preventative measure against drowning is to teach kids how to swim and the do's and don'ts in the pool from an early age. Let them learn how to tread water, hold their breath underwater, float, follow rules, swim for at least 25 yards, and exit a pool without using a ladder. Start young, and as they grow, they will get more proficient and confident in the water.

Safety gear

It always helps to put safety gear on your children. Please make sure that they meet safety standards and are the right size for your kids. It is also a good idea to buy fitting swimsuits for your kids, as loose ones could inhibit their freedom of movement.

Supervision

To avoid danger, never leave your child in the pool unsupervised for even a minute. It's also advisable to keep away mobile phones and keep your eyes on your children to ensure they are safe at all times. If you take your children to a public pool or swimming area, make sure the lifeguards are attentive to the kids at all times.

Learn CPR

Sometimes regardless of our preventive measures, a child will drown. It is essential for every parent to learn how to do CPR. It may come in hand when your child or someone else's needs resuscitation. Also, when visiting a friend’s house or a new swimming area, always be alert and aware of someone around you that is familiar with CPR techniques.

Fence your pool

If you have a pool at home, you should enclose it with a protective wall and a gate that is locked all the times. Closing off the swimming area prevents kids from getting wandering into the pool when no one is looking.

No sick children!

Sickness compromises the health of a child and will reduce their strength too. In case of fatigue when swimming, a sick child will easily drown even when they are expert swimmers. Instead, let children rest until they are well and strong enough after an illness to swim and handle any problems in the water.

Minimize risky sports

It's important to discourage kids from rough play in and around pools. For example, lunging on each other in the water can cause someone to suffocate and drown. Let children know the potential risks of such play and discourage them from it for their safety.

Fix the drains

A faulty drain cover will make any children swimming in a pool vulnerable to accidental drowning. Put safety first and ensure any pool your kids swim in has secure drain covers to avoid such incidents. Also, look out for any cracks in the pool floor or sharp things sticking out that can harm a child.

Avoid overcrowding

It's crucial to ensure there are only a small number of children in a swimming pool at any one time. You will be able to see every child, and the children will find it easier to maneuver around the pool. In case of a problem, it is also easy to rescue a child fast without them getting lost in the crowd.

These are a few ways to prevent children from suffering from drowning accidents this summer. If you take precautions and set up rules for your kids to follow, you will enjoy your summer pool time without any worries.