Swim Safety for Kids
Swimming pools can provide hours of fun for children, but they can also be dangerous if certain safety rules aren't followed. From the pool deck, which can be slippery when wet, to the pool itself, which can be dangerous if the child is not a good swimmer, the pool environment makes it vital for kids to know how to swim and behave safely.
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Pool Deck Warnings
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Pool gear, such as these water aerobic weights, are a tripping hazard when left on the pool deck. The pool deck can be a dangerous place. Water from the pool can spill onto the deck and cause slippery conditions, which can result in injury. Kids should never run, skip or hop around a swimming pool. It's a challenging rule to follow, but children should always walk around a pool deck.
A cluttered deck can also be a hazard. Other swimmers may leave pool toys and gear, such as flippers, on the deck, where they can easily be tripped over. Both children and adults should keep pool toys and gear clear of the walking path around the pool deck.
Swimming
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Children should learn how to swim. It is crucial that kids know how to swim, or at least be able to tread water. Treading water will give a lifeguard or other swimmers time to help a child who needs assistance getting back to the pool steps or wall. Kids who can't tread water and do not know how to swim should remain in the shallow end of the pool. The shallow end is 3 feet deep or less.
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Pool Toy Considerations
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Pool toys are made to float and should not be pushed underwater. When playing with toys in the pool, kids should only use items that were designed for the water. Toys that are not made for the pool can cause injury to children or can get caught in the pool equipment, resulting in damage to the pool filter or pool equipment. Kids should follow the directions on the packaging before using a pool toy, too. Pool toys are designed to float and should never be pushed under water, as they can pop back up to the surface and hit another swimmer in the face.
Diving Board and Water Slide Warnings
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Children should know how to swim before using a water slide. Youngsters who do not know how to swim should not use diving boards or water slides. It is important to be able to swim away from the diving board or water slide after use so that another swimmer will not land on top of the person who went before them. Children who are not yet 4 feet tall should not use water slides; they will go down a water slide too quickly, which can result in injury. Similarly, children who are less than 4 feet tall will not be heavy enough to properly use a diving board. The board could snap back at the child, causing serious injury.
Injury Prevention
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A lifesaver should be within reach of the pool deck. Kids should never swim or play in a pool by themselves. There should always be at least one adult who knows how to swim and knows CPR in the pool or on the pool deck. Children should be within arm's reach of an adult at all times.
Pools should be equipped with at least one lifesaver, which is a round, Styrofoam device used to help a drowning person float to the side of the pool. If a pool does not have lifesaving equipment within reach of the pool deck, it is not safe for kids to swim there.
Kids should be instructed to never play with drains, gutters or filter systems in the pool and on the pool deck. Children can easily become entrapped in them. Children who do not follow directions around drains, gutters and filter systems should not be permitted to swim or play in the pool.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit happy kids image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com four blue aqua dumbbells lie on the coast swimming-pool image by Georgiy Pashin from Fotolia.com swim meet image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com Mechanical Scuba Diver and Frog Bath Toys image by nextrecord from Fotolia.com red water slide fun image by .shock from Fotolia.com life belt image by Studio Pookini from Fotolia.com
