7 tips to keep kids safe at the pool

As temperatures tick up, few things are more satisfying than jumping into a sparkling swimming pool. But before you plan your backyard pool party or haul the kids to the community pool, it’s important to brush up on pool safety.

“Pools are great opportunities for family fun,” says Erin Summa, MPH, injury prevention program manager at the Mary Bridge Children’s Center for Childhood Safety. “But drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death for children and teens. Taking steps before and during pool time can help ensure your summer afternoon is a memorable one for the right reasons.”

Here are steps you can take to keep your kids safe at the pool.

Tip 1: Secure your home swimming pool or spa

Pool safety starts before your child ever gets in the water. Drowning is the leading cause of fatal injury for children 1-4, and most drownings occur in residential swimming pools. If you have a backyard pool or spa, it’s important to secure it with multiple layers of protection.

Consider these recommended safety measures:

• Four-sided fencing at least 4-feet high should completely surround your pool or spa (a fenced backyard is not enough). Fencing should have a self-closing, self-latching gate.
• Pool and gate alarms are designed to alert you when someone has gained access to the pool or if someone has fallen in. Alarms can also be installed in your house on the door leading out to the pool area.
• Anti-entrapment drain covers prevent swimmers’ hair, body or clothing from being pulled into a drain opening due to suction.
• Covers for pools or spas should meet safety standards.
• If you have an aboveground pool, remove the ladder when the pool is not in use.

Tip 2: Start swim lessons early

Swimming is a critical life skill. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that swim lessons to prevent drowning can begin at age 1. Most kids should begin swim lessons by age 4, but it’s never too late to start!

Swim lesson programs aren’t always easy to find and can fill up quickly, so enroll your child in lessons as soon as they’re accessible to you. Free or reduced-price swim lessons may be available through your local YMCA, community pool or parks and recreation department. The American Red Cross also offers swimming and water safety classes for all ages.

Keep in mind that swim lessons aren’t a “one-and-done activity,” Summa explains. Your child should refresh their skills every year. Also, it’s important to remember that kids who have learned how to swim still need to be supervised in the water.

Tip 3: Choose the right bathing suit color

When it comes to pool safety, swimsuit color matters. Because of the way water absorbs light, some colors, like blue, black or white, tend to blend in with the pool or simply look like shadows beneath the surface.

Choose swimwear in high-contrast solid colors like neon orange, yellow, green or hot pink (but hot pink may be less visible in lakes). These colors tend to stand out underwater in pools, making it easier to spot your child quickly if they’re struggling or they slip beneath the surface.

Tip 4: Designate a water watcher

Whether you’re at a backyard gathering or a lifeguarded pool, assign a responsible adult to be a designated water watcher, even if kids know how to swim.

“When there are a lot of adults milling around, it’s easy to assume a level of supervision that isn’t really happening — everyone assumes someone else is paying attention,” Summa says. “Assigning a water watcher ensures that one adult is solely focused on watching kids in the pool.”

Summa recommends setting a short time limit, about 15 minutes, for a person to be a water watcher and rotating the role. A designated water watcher should:

• Be at least 16
• Be alert and watching kids in the pool (not scrolling on a phone, reading a book or otherwise distracted)
• Not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs

If you’re the only adult taking a group of children to the pool, don’t invite more kids than you can reasonably monitor. Visit the National Drowning Prevention Alliance for more information about designated water watchers.

Tip 5: Keep young kids within arm’s reach — don’t rely on flotation devices

Floaties and inflatable arm bands may seem like good options to keep young children afloat in the pool, but safety experts do not recommend them.

Kids can easily slip out of floaties, and sometimes they pop or tear, especially if over-inflated. These devices also keep kids in a vertical position that doesn’t allow them to properly learn to swim.

Many safety experts also advise against using life jackets in pools.*

“We do not want children to learn the unintended lesson that their body will always float in water,” Summa says. “Save the life jackets for open water. If you think your child needs a flotation device in a pool, what they really need is your physical presence instead.”

If your child doesn’t know how to swim or is young enough to require a flotation device, an adult should be in the pool with them, within arm’s reach, at all times.

*Children should always wear life jackets when they’re on or near open water like lakes or rivers.

Tip 6: Teach kids basic pool safety

Older or more confident swimmers may be more likely to take risks at the pool, such as careless diving or jumping. To support their safety and the safety of others, remind kids to:

• Walk on the pool deck (not run).
• Look before they jump or dive.
• Obey diving signage — if there is no signage, check the depth of the water before diving. Water should be at least nine feet deep, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
• Go down slides feet-first (not head-first).
• Stay away from drains and never get into a pool or spa that has a missing or damaged drain cover.
• Never swim alone.
• Avoid rough play — don’t grab or push others.

Tip 7: Learn CPR

Even with safety precautions, water emergencies can happen. Knowing CPR can ensure you’re ready to respond swiftly and effectively.

Visit the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association to find a class near you. Studies show that children as young as 9 can learn and perform CPR.