Prepare for a Wet-n-Wild Summer: Water Safety Tips

As we approach the holiday weekend, I’ve decided to stick with the theme of summer safety tips. I hope this month isn't turning out to be tip sheet overkill and you are gaining benefit from my research.

Just knowing that safety is tops on every mother’s list, I think this is all very relevant. Over the last two weeks I focused on sun safety and bicycle safety . This week’s water safety tips come at a time when many of us are planning to attend July 4th parties, go to the beach or pools with friends and maybe even go boating or to a lake. This is not to take the fun out of our social plans, but I encourage everyone to take a quick review of these water safety tips. Having some of these things top of mind may make a difference during your vacation or if you are arranging to have other adults watch your kids. 

A child drowning is just an unimaginable thought. Unbelievably, the statistics tell the true story. Drowning is the second most common cause of death among kids under the age of 14. The even sadder truth is that many of these incidents take place when adults are present and distracted. Both our children and adults need to be aware of what it is to be safe around water. Education can start as early as infancy. Take it seriously and remember your water safety tips!

Water Safety Tips: 

Adults should always be present. Never leave a child alone near water and adults should always be actively supervising and not distracted by phone calls or computers. If there are multiple adults present you can take turns with who is on watch.

Learn to swim. Water safety and swimming skills are learned at swimming lessons. The YMCA has great lessons for kids of all ages and skill levels.  

Use your bubble. Make sure swim bubbles are Coast Guard approved.

Know the pool and beach rules. No running around pools and be aware of ocean conditions before entering. Often the rules where you are swimming are posted on a sign. 

Know the waters depth and don’t swim out too far. Swim at a depth that is safe. Water depth is typically posted in a pool but there’s no way of knowing in the ocean or a lake.

Keep your hands to yourself. Unexpected pushing, jumping or grabbing others is not safe water play.

Don’t eat while your swimming. Choking can happen if you are chewing food or gum in the water.

Child Water Safety Tips | Parenting Help Me

Water safety is an issue that affects people of all ages, but toddlers and young children are particularly at risk. Drowning is a leading cause of injury and death among young children. With a bit of planning and attention to detail, the risk of drowning can be drastically reduced. Below, we have compiled a list of child water safety tips to help ensure that your child can enjoy water activities in safety.

In the Bath

Believe it or not, a significant number of children are injured in the bathtub every year. It’s possible to drown in as little as an inch of water, so parents must remain diligent when bathing their children. Keep these guidelines in mind at bath time:

Never leave your child unattended. A parent should be present at all times.

Bath safety products are useful but they don’t replace the care of an adult. Bathing seats and bathtubs specifically designed for babies can help your children remain safe, but they cannot replace the care of a vigilant adult.

Be mindful of water temperature. Hot water can scald a young child’s skin. Make sure that the water is an appropriate temperature. Remember that adult skin is less sensitive to hot water than a young child’s.

In the Pool

Taking a dip in the pool is a great way to stay cool and have fun in the summer. It’s important to remember that pools present several dangers (both in and out of the water), though. Abide by these basic rules and everyone should remain safe:

Children should never be left alone in the pool. There should always be an adult present to supervise swimming children. For young children, the adult should remain within an arm’s length.

Only jump when it’s safe. Never jump or dive into an unfamiliar pool, since you don’t know how deep it is or if there might be obstacles that could injure you (such as jets or stairs). There should never be any jumping or diving in the shallow end of any pool.

No running on the deck. The deck of a pool can get quite slippery and a fall at the edge of a pool can be very dangerous.

Inexperienced swimmers should use flotation devices. Children who are still learning to swim should wear lifejackets or other floatation devices. Remember that these devices provide added safety, but they cannot take the place of an attentive adult.

Water safety tips, being there, always & forever

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