Water safety is a topic that can be easy to skim over, especially for families who don’t live near a body of water that they often visit or have a pool at home. However, avoiding this critical topic of conversation with children is one of the major contributing factors for drowning being the leading cause of accidental death among infants, toddlers, and children.

If your child is old enough to be learning the rules of the house, they’re old enough to start learning about water safety as well. If you’re unsure how to start the conversation or which areas and rules to focus on, follow the guide below for helpful advice.

Water Safety is Important at All Ages

Water safety should be an ongoing conversation at every age from infancy through toddlerhood, into the childhood years, and beyond.

When your child is an infant or toddler, you must watch them actively from arm’s reach at all times when they’re playing in the water. During this time, you should open a dialogue about water safety, so they get used to hearing the basic rules.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), swim lessons are recommended for children between the ages of one and four. Developmentally, children are ready for swim lessons when they turn four. With that being said, it’s always important to regularly have conversations regarding water safety. 

Water Safety Basics

Supervision is the number-one priority in water safety. Even if your child can swim, you must always stay with them and watch them closely anytime they’re near a body of water. Supervising means that you maintain constant visual contact and keep your child within arm’s reach at all times. Whether you’re at home in the bath, swimming in a pool, or hanging out by a lake, supervision should be practiced very seriously. It only takes 20 seconds for a child to drown. Here are some other basic rules of thumb for water safety:

●     Hold your child’s hand if you’re paddling in a river or standing near waves

●     Let kids know that they can only go swimming if an adult is present

●     Swimming with a buddy whenever possible is a good rule to maintain

●     Swimming lessons are an essential part of water safety

It’s also a good idea to make sure that you and your family learn first aid basics as well as CPR.

Important Pool Rules and How to Communicate Them

When your kids get old enough to have more freedom around the pool, whether you have one at home or are leaving them somewhere to take a swimming lesson, it’s important that they already have a basic understanding of essential pool rules.

The best way to ensure that pool rules are maintained is to understand how to communicate them properly. Here are some basic things to keep in mind about sharing the rules at home and in a public pool setting.

At Home

At home, institute rules that are short and memorable. Post them on a sign that’s hung in a spot your child won’t miss when they enter the pool area so that they always read them and keep them in the forefront of their minds. 

In addition, make sure you emphasize only swimming with an adult present. Safekids.org suggests having a Water Watcher, or designated adult responsible for watching children. 

At a Public Pool

Make sure your child understands what to do when they enter a public pool. They should always take a moment to read over rules posted at the pool, even if they think they remember them all.

As a general rule for parents, children under the age of five need to be within arm’s reach at all times. Children under ten years must always be in your sight. Parents are also required to directly supervise young children constantly, even if a lifeguard is present.

Outdoor water Safety

If you’re going to a beach, lake, or river with your child, remember and communicate that weather and wind can influence the depth and rips of the waves. Only take your child to a beach if it has a lifesaving patrol and if someone’s on duty. Before you go to the beach, teach your child what to do in the event of an emergency: stay calm, float on your back, and raise an arm to signal help from a lifeguard. At the beach, make sure you hold your child’s hand near the waves and make sure they stay near you while playing.

If you’re planning an event at or going to visit somewhere where there will be a dam, creek, or waterway, make sure your child knows not to go near the water unsupervised. Warn them about the dangers of swimming in rivers and dams so that they understand why they need to avoid the water. It’s also crucial for you to set up a safe play area located far from a dam or waterway where kids can play safely.  

Rules to Follow in an Emergency

There are four basic rules that you and your child should both be aware of in the event of a water emergency:

●     Stay calm

●     Turn around and reach for the side of the pool or where you fell in instead of trying to swim across the pool or body of water

●     Float on your back

●     Raise an arm to signal for the lifeguard

Being aware of water safety basics and communicating the importance of understanding them with your children can save their lives one day. Never dismiss the importance of discussing water safety with your kids.

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Author Bio:

With experience as a competitive swimmer and coach, Haley Woods is passionate about helping businesses get the most out of their class management software. As part of the Jackrabbit Marketing Team, she spends her time connecting with clients and showing future clients how Jackrabbit can change their business for the better. Outside of work hours you can find Haley out on the boat, on the search for the best brunch food, or cheering on the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Jackrabbit Swim helps swim school owners save time and money, increase revenue and enrollment and improve communication and retention using cloud-based swim school management software that offers online registration, skills tracking, a branded mobile app, flexible absence and makeup scheduling, staff and parent portals, employee payroll, automated tuition posting, ePayment processing and free support. Discover more about Jackrabbit Swim!