Some of the most memorable childhood experiences involve splashing in the water. But adults know too well that a day of fun can turn to tragedy. Each year, more than 800 children die of accidental drowning. Adults, pay attention to these important tips to keep kids safe – and to keep water play fun.
Never let a young child go near water unattended.
According to the CDC, most drownings in children ages 1–4 happen in swimming pools, particularly when a child is not expected to be near water, such as when they gain unsupervised access to pools. Keep an eye on your kids.
Guard your pool.
To help prevent children from accessing the pool without your knowledge, make sure that your fence or pool barrier is at least 4-feet high and equipped with self-closing gates that open outward and self-latch (and that the latch is too high for little hands to reach). For above-ground pools, keep ladders and other climbable structures away when the pool is not under adult supervision.
Snap a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on your young children and inexperienced swimmers.
While you still need to keep an eye on your children (even if a lifeguard is present), a life jackets can help keep them safe. The same is not true of pool noodles, water wings and other inflatables that can easily deflate or slip out of their hands or off their arms.
Don’t assume.
If your children have taken swimming lessons, don’t assume they are completely water safe. Close adult supervision is always necessary. Also, if there are a lot of adults near the pool, don’t assume that everyone has an eye on every child. Make sure to pay attention.
Establish and enforce water rules.
Children do best when they know and understand the rules about the water ahead of time. Before heading to the beach or pool, talk to them about water safe behaviors, including no running or pushing near water or diving in shallow water. Then, strictly enforce those rules around the water.
To learn more visit Safe Kids, Project Wipeout or the American Red Cross.
