Some of the best memories for children everywhere are those long summer days spent swimming, splashing and dashing about in the pool. These fond memories, however, can quickly turn sour if appropriate safety precautions aren’t taken.
Here are our top 5 tips for keeping small children safe around the pool:
We’ve all heard this tip before, but a shocking number of parents and caretakers still have pools which aren’t appropriately fenced off. The entire perimeter of the pool should be surrounded by a fence that features a gate that a youngster would not easily be able to open (if you’re able to install a lock that requires a key to open it, even better).
Young inquisitive minds want to check out every inch of your pool, but it’s important that parents and caregivers enforce from an early age that children stay away from any drains and pipes in the pool. Small children can easily become entrapped in such spaces, which may result in them becoming seriously injured or can even lead to drowning.
This is great advice for people of all ages. The surface surrounding your pool can become incredibly slippery when wet. If you want to avoid scrapes, broken bones or concussions, enforce a strict “NO RUNNING!” policy around your pool at all times – no excuses!
As tempting as it may be to step away for just an instant to grab your phone or nab that forgotten towel for a child, don’t do it. In an instant what was a happy, relaxing time by the pool can turn into a dangerous and disastrous situation.
Lastly, make sure that your little ones are properly protected from the harsh rays of the sun. This means applying an SPF 30 (or higher) sunscreen half an hour before your child enters the pool, and then reapplying it frequently (or, you can choose to put a shirt over your child). And don’t forget their hat!
