Swimming is an essential life skill, but it needs to be done safely. Here are 30 Essential Swimming Safety Tips for Kids that you should know about.
When it’s blazing hot, one of the most enjoyable things kids can do is jump into the pool to cool down. Even if they don’t know how to swim, splashing about in the pool is fun on its own – but we still think learning to swim is important!
Swimming is an essential life skill – you never know when you might need it, and it can save lives – of the swimmer and of someone else. However, being in the water comes with its own risks – the chief being drowning. Here are some facts about children and drowning.
- Almost 82,000 children from 1 to 14 years lose their lives to drowning every year
- Drowning is the single leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of death for older kids
- A child can drown in less than one inch of water
- More than half of the world’s drowning accidents occur in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions
- Children who live near open water sources or pools are more at risk of drowning accidents
These numbers are certainly scary, but the truth is that nearly all of these are easily preventable, through proper supervision and safety precautions. That’s why the United Nations has declared 25th July to be World Drowning Prevention Day, so countries across the world can develop national drowning prevention strategies.
While the governments go about doing their job, you can do yours – by following these essential swimming safety tips for kids and teaching them all about being water-competent.
1. Always watch your kids
The most important one among all swimming safety tips for kids is to always, always watch your kids. Kids are naturally curious and want to explore, which means they should be watched constantly. Avoid distractions like your phone, magazines or anything that might take your eye off your child. This applies even for kids who have learnt to swim.
2. Practice touch supervision
While kids of all ages should be supervised, touch supervision is an additional precaution for children under the age of five. When you have young kids in or around the pool, you should be within arm’s reach of the child, enabling you to catch them in any event. Again, this applies even if your little one knows how to swim.
3. Teach kids to ask permission
Let your kids make it a habit to always ask permission to enter the water, even if you are regulars at the pool or beach. Please remember that swim rings, wings or inflatable buoys cannot replace adult supervision. Never entrust a child’s care to another child – there should always be an adult on watch.
4. Teach children how to swim
The WHO recommends teaching children swimming and water safety once they reach school age, while the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting when they turn four. Of course, every child is different, so you will have to follow your child’s cues, but it’s wise to enroll them in swimming lessons as soon as you think they are ready.
5. Choose a Water Watcher
When there are multiple kids and adults present, such as at a pool party, each parent may assume that the other adult is watching. This could end up in disastrous consequences if it turns out that no one is watching the kids. In such situations, designate one person as the ‘Water Watcher’ for 15 minutes. For that time duration, the water watcher puts 100% of his attention on the kids and nothing else. At the end of those 15 minutes, another person takes on the role. You can even download a Water Watcher Card from the Safe Kids website so everyone knows who’s currently in charge.
6. Never swim during a storm
Teach kids to get out of the water immediately when they see or hear a storm or rainfall. This is because of lightning, which can strike water and be dangerous. Teach kids about how lightning is electricity and what happens when electricity comes in contact with water.
7. Enforce pool rules
Many of these swimming safety tips for kids involve educating them about following rules, especially pool rules. These include no swimming alone, no running around the pool, no pushing people into the pool and no dunking other kids under the water. You may seem like a spoilsport for putting so many restrictions, but they are important for safety.
8. Be careful about diving
Once they learn to swim, many kids get excited about diving, but if done on the shallow end, it can result in injuries. Prohibit young kids from diving at all, and for older kids, teach them not to jump or dive into water that is less than 9 feet deep. Some pools forbid diving – in that case, follow the rules.
9. Beware of pool drains
Pool drains or suction outlets can cause accidents when things get stuck in them. If kids swim too close to pool drains, their hair or clothes can get stuck, and it can be hard for them to break away. Make sure that pool drains are always properly covered and teach kids not to play or swim near them.
10. Install fences around home pools
You can’t talk about swimming safety tips for kids without taking care of your own backyard pool! If you have a pool at home, be sure to install a fence around all sides of the pool. The fence should be at least four feet high with narrow slats that kids can’t get through. Make sure the gates are self-latching gates and not accessible to children.
11. Opt for additional safety measures
Along with a pool fence, it helps to have additional safety measures like pool covers and alarms. A pool cover prevents anything from falling into the pool and alarms can detect any disturbance in the water so you can be alerted if something or someone has fallen into it.
12. Remove toys from the pool area
Make sure you remove all toys from the pool area, including balls and inflatable buoys. They should be removed not just from the water, but from the surrounding area too, so kids aren’t tempted to go there to play.
13. Deflate small pools after use
Small children can drown in as little as an inch of water, so even inflatable pools are a risk. Deflate them completely and store them away when not in use. If the pool can’t be deflated, empty it and store it upside down out of your children’s reach.
14. Clear the area around the pool
Many homes have chairs, tables and other furniture near pools, but this is risky when you have children. Kids could climb onto the furniture and jump into the pool, which could be dangerous. Keep such furniture far away from the pool’s edge to prevent this risk.
15. Teach children that open water is different
These swimming safety tips for kids aren’t just for swimming pools – we’re also going to cover open water. As soon as they’re old enough, teach kids that swimming in open water is entirely different from doing so in a pool. The depths are different, the visibility can change, and currents play a role in making swimming more challenging in such places.
16. Stick to designated swimming areas
When going to the ocean or a lake, make sure to look for signs about hazards in the open water. Stick to swimming only in the designated zones, and avoid the danger areas. Swimming in rivers is not recommended, since the water is often fast-moving and the currents can change suddenly, resulting in accidents.
17. Always check water temperature
Many people fail to realize that air temperature and water temperature can be different, and oftentimes open water is colder than we expect. This is important, since suddenly venturing into cold water can put the body into shock and affect swimming ability. Always check the water temperature first and make sure you’re dressed appropriately.
18. Always enter feet first
An important rule of thumb when swimming in open water is to enter feet first. Don’t run, but wade into the water slowly, testing the temperature and trying to understand the current. These usually change beneath the water surface, and can be difficult to gauge simply by looking at it.
19. Wear protective footwear
Open water is different from pools in another aspect – the surface can be uneven, with rocks, trash and even sudden drops. This is another reason to wade in slowly and why you should wear protective footwear in the open water.
20. Don’t swim close to piers
Open water is also where boats and ships sail and there are often piers where they come to dock. Avoid swimming to close to them – if a sudden current or tide moves you, you could end up banging into the pier’s foundation and getting hurt.
21. Wear a life jacket during water activities
Swimming safety tips for kids are also relevant when doing water activities like boating. Make sure kids always wear a good quality life jacket that’s appropriately sized. Fasten all the buckles correctly and ensure that it’s snug enough so that your child can float with it.
22. Read the signs at water parks
Water parks are fun, but they can also be dangerous if you’re not careful. Read the signs before entering each ride, and see if your child satisfies the height and age conditions. Check how deep the water is in each ride before letting your child go on it.
23. Follow all the rules and instructions
Nearly all water parks have someone at the beginning of the ride who gives instructions. Make sure kids follow them correctly for their own safety as well as that of others. For instance, wait till the person ahead has gone down before getting on the slide, and keep your face up all the time.
24. Always walk, never run
Water parks are filled with, well, water! This means that the floors are always wet, and running on them can lead to falls. Never rush kids when they’re near water, and always tell them to walk and never run.
25. Wear sunscreen
A little unconventional to be in a list of swimming safety tips for kids, but wearing sunscreen is essential when you’re out swimming, whether in a pool or the open water. Swimsuits often leave a good part of our skin exposed to sunlight, and adequate protection will prevent sunburns. Wear sunglasses and a hat too, when you’re out of the water.
26. Stay hydrated
When you’re in the water, it’s hard to realize that you’re getting thirsty, but dehydration is a real risk while swimming. When dehydrated, the swimmer will fatigue easily and not have the energy to even reach the edge. Make sure kids take frequent sips of water, even if they don’t feel like it.
27. Don’t swallow pool water
While staying hydrated is important, do not swallow the water in the pool or ocean! There can be all kinds of germs in the water that can lead to water-borne diseases with symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. You can help keep the water as clean as possible by showering before entering the pool and staying away when you’re ill.
28. Don’t eat in the water
Another way to keep the pool clean is to avoid eating near it. Any food that drops into the pool can contaminate it or cause blockages, while bits of hard plastic or glass from food containers can hurt others.
29. Don’t swim in the dark
Keep the pool off limits after evenings, even if it’s a hot summer day and the kids are tempted. Swimming in the dark may have its charms, but it can be risky for kids. With lowered visibility, they could bump into things and even lose consciousness.
30. Teach kids the 5 water survival skills
As soon as your children are old enough to understand, teach them these water survival skills that they can use in any crisis situation. Make sure to practice them frequently so they know what to do when such an event arises.
- Step or jump into water over their head and return to the surface
- Float or tread water for at least one minute
- Combine breathing with forward movement
- Turn around in the water and move towards a safe location
- Exit the water
Along with following these swimming safety tips for kids, you also need to know how to act in an emergency. Please remember that drowning is silent – you may not hear any splashing or screaming. It also happens very fast, which means you have to act quickly.
Learn the basics of CPR and first aid. Always have your phone with you when supervising children, but do not be distracted by it. You should also have a first aid kit and some reaching or throwing equipment that is easily accessible.
Teach kids to inform an adult immediately if someone is struggling in the water. If a child goes under water, pull them out immediately and get medical help right away.
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