Water Safety Tips for Parents

Water Safety Tips for Parents

If you have a family that loves spending time near a beach or a pool, then knowing a few safety tips can surely come in handy. Especially for kids as they are naturally drawn to play in the water.

While stopping them from swimming or indulging in water sports, activities or casual stunts may not be a great idea, what you can do as a parent is be prepared and have important water safety tips at your fingertips.

From learning to check whether the weather is right to ensure all the safety checks, in this post, we’ll learn about having a good time in the water at all times.

Without further ado, let’s get to it.

1. Educate your children on the Do’s and Don’ts

First things first i.e., setting clear boundaries as to what they can do and what they can’t when hanging out in water-surrounding areas.

  • Advise them to step into the water only in the company of a trained swim buddy or guide. The same goes for you if you haven’t learned to swim.
  • Stick to the shallow end of a pool and don’t go any deeper until you have learned to float.
  • When swimming in open waters, beware of the currents and tide.
  • Explain to them why they can never drink the water in which they play.
  • Strictly say no to exploration and stay within the designated swim areas or zones. 

2. Get familiar with different types of waters

Every water fantasy world has its risks and dangers. While commercial and public water pools may be the safest for young kids (still check the rules and conditions), playing around in ponds, streams, beaches, gullies, canals, and ditches may not be the safest of spots.

In case, the latter are your only options, pay extra attention to what kind of water they might be stepping into.

Be careful and check the waters beforehand.

Even if it does seem safe and sound, have an adult in their reach at all times.

To be on the safer side, refrain from going too deep unless your kids are well-trained.

3. Check the weather forecast

Perhaps the first thing you should be doing on your beach day or weekend is to check the weather conditions.

Rainy or cold weather is certainly never a good time to go out and get wet. No matter how much you and your folks love playing in it, there is always a chance of catching an allergy, flu, or fever, especially in young kids.

So try picking a rather suitable or water-friendly time for your aqua-fun activities and keep your family away from any misadventures.

Also do watch out for any red flags or warning signs even if the day looks clear to head out.

4. Keep a close eye on kids

Never leave your kids out of sight, period. And that goes for all the public places, parks, malls, etc.

Water parks, beaches, and pools can be rather congested and overcrowded. So make sure your kids get the proper room and attention from the staff.

Despite all the guidance and security, at the end of the day, they are your kids and no one else is going to protect them like you.

5. Have water watchers/ lifeguards

No matter how savvy you are with your local water bodies, it is always better to have some professional coaches, watchers, and lifeguards around.

Apart from having water safety expertise, they’d also be aware of tackling medical emergencies and performing CPR.

Remember, having a water watcher is a crucial job and a safety criterion! So always choose an experienced adult who is fast, fit, and flexible.

If required, you can always have multiple water watchers at your service along with lifeguards should you have more kids to entertain or take care of such as in water-themed parties and birthday functions.

Make sure that the watchers are completely focused and close enough to reach the children in an instant, especially small and weak swimmers.

You can always hire these aqua-men from private water clubs, pools, parks, etc.

6. Use life-jackets

Called so for a reason, life jackets are perhaps the most important water sports accessories for those who can’t swim but love to anyway.

It’s the perfect savior for disabled people, young children, extreme sports enthusiasts, and slow learners who just want to have some fun and get wet.

When using them, make sure that all the kids especially new learners and non-swimmers have their life jackets properly tucked on and fastened. Show them how to wear it neatly and tightly right at the beginning.

Choosing the right size of life jackets for kids and everybody else is also crucial for maintaining maximum support and functioning.

Warning: Do not use torn or unfit life jackets under any circumstances.

7. Avoid water toys

As fancy as they look, water toys such as mats, floats, tubes, slides, wings, and the like are not actual water safety devices.

Unlike a life-jacket, they are not certified as a water safety device by the govt either.

So, don’t rely on those air-filled or foam-made toys as they might not be able to bear your children’s weight. Made out of light fragile materials these water toys can easily burst open under extra pressure or sudden impacts.

If you were to use something in times of desperation, look no further than lifebuoys as they are designed to be buoyant and keep people afloat in times of emergency.

8. Teach your kids how to swim

Perhaps the best thing you could do to save your kids from any mishap is to teach them to swim as soon as possible.

A child who is trained in swimming from an early age will have a lack of water phobia and fewer risks of pool-side accidents.

Have them take proper swimming lessons and hire a coach if needed.

Swim along with them now and then to build their confidence.

Get them all the gear necessary to have a safe water ride.

Extra precautions!

No matter how conscious you are, you can never be too safe with kids. As curious as they are, they are also unaware of the risks and dangers that may lie ahead.

Apart from being unsafe, open waters may also contain all kinds of germs and chemicals that may be hazardous to your kids’ health. So have them clean up and wash up properly once they are out of the pool, beach, or any other public water area for that matter.

Playing in the water or sun can also exhaust your kids in no time, making them feel famished. To prevent their screaming and tantrums, always carry extra food, snacks, or beverages to refill their energy.

Keep these elements in mind and you can have a safe and joyful water day at any given time.

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