Being a big kid in the water means splashing around, playing games, using fun water toys and even learning how to swim for the first time. Learn how to make your pool or spa a safe place for kids.

Top Safety Tips

1. Make sure your home pool or spa has a proper drain cover or shut-off function to prevent long hair, loose clothing or body parts from getting trapped.
2. Every child is different, so enroll your child in swimming lessons when you feel he or she is ready. Teach children how to tread water and float.
3. Teach kids never to go near or in water without an adult present. Remember that things such as water wings, noodles and other items can create a false sense of security for children and should not be used in place of life jackets.
4. Whether you’re swimming in a backyard pool or in a lake, teach children to swim with a partner, every time. Do not allow children to swim alone.
5. Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised.
6. Depending on your child’s age and maturity level, stay alert at public pools. Don’t assume someone else is watching your child. Here are a few more water safety tips around public pools, in the ocean, at lakes or other bodies of water.

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