Summer is the right time to have fun in your home’s swimming pool. And that means that having kids in your pool should bring up certain safety measures. So here’s a pool safety checklist for kids that you can easily follow.
”A good vacation for me is going to warm weather. Being able to go outside, in the sun, hit the beach, play outside sports. Being active outside. Going swimming, hanging by the pool, having a couple drinks, having a couple of your close buddies around, and just having a blast.” - Rob Gronkowski
The Pool Gate
It sounds simple enough, but there are a few safety concerns around the entrance to your pool. The gate should be properly affixed, and close itself again once opened. Also the gate should close properly. Here’s a home pool safety checklist for everything gate related:
- Make sure the gate can’t be opened when latched
- Make sure there isn’t a sizable gap in the fencing
- Make sure the gate shuts correctly
- Make sure the gate latch closes
- Make sure all fence panels are in place
- Make sure fencing is not rusted
Supervision
Another large part of maintaining a safe environment for kids around the swimming pool is simply watching them. So have an adult around to keep an eye on the kids, even in shallow water. You’d be surprised how quickly and silently a child can get into trouble in water. When people get into trouble in water, there usually isn’t a lot of sound like in movies. These are just standard pool safety facts. Never use floatation devices as a substitute for supervision.
”Safe” Materials
There are some materials that you should probably avoid when building or adding on to a pool. As uncomfortable as it may feel, there is a reason textured concrete is the premier choice for building both in and around a pool.
This is because it allows your feet to grip it even when wet. The amount of injuries it has prevented is quite surmountable. Also on the subject of water safety for kids, vinyl or fiberglass pools should absolutely have a material built around them that grips bare feet, because these types of pools can be fairly slick. So as much as that natural stone path looks great in your backyard, maybe don’t build it around the pool.
Swimming Lessons
Another safety measure that can transfer into a life skill is teaching your children to swim. Not only does this keep them safer in water, it’s a great physical pastime, a great exercise, and who knows? It may lead to competitive swimming one day. This is a huge part of teaching pool safety to toddlers. Best to get them while they’re young and teach them while they still have swimmies on.
DIving Board
The diving board is a fun addition to any pool with a deep end, and some simple guidelines can help your friends and family enjoy that feature. Little kids should not be on the diving board at all, and older kids and adults should know several key points. So here are some water safety facts about diving boards that you should follow:
- Never dive to the side
- Only dive at the end of the board
- Put your hands in front of you
- Avoid drugs/alcohol when diving
- Make sure the board has some grip to it
- Inspect the board for cracks or other issues before use
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