{"id":39417,"date":"2026-05-27T07:00:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T07:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=39417"},"modified":"2026-05-29T17:35:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T17:35:55","slug":"pool-safety-tips-every-parent-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/pool-safety-tips-every-parent-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"7 tips to keep kids safe at the pool","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>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\u2019s important to brush up on pool safety.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPools are great opportunities for family fun,\u201d says Erin Summa, MPH, injury prevention program manager at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marybridge.org\/patients-visitors\/patient-family-support-services\/childhood-safety\/\">Mary Bridge Children\u2019s Center for Childhood Safety<\/a>. \u201cBut 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here are steps you can take to keep your kids safe at the pool.<\/p>\n<h2>Tip 1: Secure your home swimming pool or spa<\/h2>\n<p>Pool safety starts before your child ever gets in the water. Drowning is the leading cause of fatal injury for children 1-4, and <a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/community-and-environment\/water-recreation\/pool-safety\">most drownings occur in residential swimming pools<\/a>. If you have a backyard pool or spa, it\u2019s important to secure it with multiple layers of protection.<\/p>\n<p>Consider these recommended safety measures:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>Anti-entrapment drain covers prevent swimmers\u2019 hair, body or clothing from being pulled into a drain opening due to suction.<\/li>\n<li>Covers for pools or spas should meet <a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/community-and-environment\/water-recreation\/pool-safety\">safety standards<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>If you have an aboveground pool, remove the ladder when the pool is not in use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Tip 2: Start swim lessons early<\/h2>\n<p>Swimming is a critical life skill. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthychildren.org\/English\/safety-prevention\/at-play\/Pages\/swim-lessons.aspx?_gl=1*1diz3at*_ga*MTcxMTA0NjM4My4xNzc2Mjc2MjEy*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3Nzc1NzU4MTEkbzckZzAkdDE3Nzc1NzU4MTEkajYwJGwwJGgw\">American Academy of Pediatrics<\/a> states that swim lessons to prevent drowning can begin at age 1. Most kids should begin swim lessons by age 4, but it\u2019s never too late to start!<\/p>\n<p>Swim lesson programs aren\u2019t always easy to find and can fill up quickly, so enroll your child in lessons as soon as they\u2019re accessible to you. Free or reduced-price swim lessons may be available through your local YMCA, community pool or parks and recreation department. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/take-a-class\/swimming\/swim-lessons\">American Red Cross<\/a> also offers swimming and water safety classes for all ages.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that swim lessons aren\u2019t a \u201cone-and-done activity,\u201d Summa explains. Your child should refresh their skills every year. Also, it\u2019s important to remember that kids who have learned how to swim still need to be supervised in the water.<\/p>\n<h2>Tip 3: Choose the right bathing suit color<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/parents\/color-test-kids-swimsuits-show-best-colors-are-neon-t219805\">Choose swimwear in high-contrast solid colors<\/a> 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\u2019re struggling or they slip beneath the surface.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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\u2019s important to brush up on pool safety. \u201cPools are great opportunities for family fun,\u201d says Erin Summa, MPH, injury prevention program manager [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,67],"tags":[170],"class_list":["post-39417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-kids-health","tag-summer-safety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pool safety tips every parent should know - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Get practical tips to help prevent drowning, improve supervision and keep children and teens safe at the pool this summer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/pool-safety-tips-every-parent-should-know\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pool safety tips every parent should know - 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