5 Ways to Keep Your Pool Safe For Kids

Owning a pool can be a blast in the summer months. But with the cold weather slowly creeping in, it’s important to remember that even the most secure pools can be dangerous if they are not properly prepared or maintained. While we wait for the impending winter blues to pass by, consider how you can prepare your pool safely for your children to enjoy next summer with these five safety tips.

Add New Fun And Safe Floating Devices

Floating toys and devices are great fun and serve the purpose of keeping your children safely above the surface of the water. Things like swim loungers, swim rings, and pool noodles are all popular choices.

Many don’t realise, though, that these toys can cause serious harm if they are not properly maintained. Be sure to never leave your pool toys in the water overnight and clean them regularly. Harmful bacteria, mould, and even algae can start to form on the surface, putting your children at risk for serious respiratory and skin infections. 

To keep your toys safe and clean, take the following steps:

• Remove all pool toys from the water at the end of the pool activities.
• Using a diluted bleach or baking soda solution, gently scrub the entire surface of the toys.
• Rinse the solution away thoroughly and leave it out to dry completely before storing.

It’s important to watch for signs of significant mould and bacteria buildup, especially when porous toys like pool noodles become stained or slimy. Always dispose of and replace any toys that cannot be properly cleaned.

Set Ground Rules Together

Rather than just telling kids to slow down or stop running while they’re excitedly jumping into the water, consider setting solid ground rules beforehand together. 

Sharing with your children why certain actions like running around the pool are dangerous and helping them understand the need to stay safe will help them follow the rules that you set.

Get creative and make a rule board with colourful stickers and fingerpaint together. Write each rule in big letters and have your kiddos explain why each rule is important. That way, they can remember these rules and confidently encourage friends and family to play by the same rules safely.

Get CPR Certified

Emergencies are never what we want to think about when it comes to our children, but considering the potential dangers ahead of time can help us to properly prepare for any situation. 

Getting a CPR certification can save your children’s lives. It can take only seconds for things to go wrong in a pool, so having the right CPR and first aid certifications can make all the difference. Use local foundations or organisations that provide classes so you can be prepared for any emergency.

Use Clean Pool Practices

Keeping your pool clean can often involve more than just having a regular pool vac or filter. In fact, many common pool filtration systems can’t prevent calcium buildup or unbalanced water conditions, and inclement weather can cause a plethora of problems by tossing debris into the water.

That’s why it’s important to use the following practices to keep your pool in pristine shape:

• Use a pool cover and skimmer – Protecting the surface of the water with a proper and durable pool cover keeps the depths free from unwanted critters, dirt, and leaves that can easily blow into the water. 

Use a pool skimmer to remove contaminants throughout the day while it is in use.

• Make sure your water is tested and maintained – It’s easy for water levels to lower with plenty of excited children splashing and playing. Checking your water is at its proper levels and testing for harmful bacteria means your filter isn’t working overtime to keep the water balanced.

• Upgrade your filtration system – To help water purity in your pool, use strong filtration. Including a purification process like a reverse osmosis filter helps remove smaller particles and bacteria and can keep your water pure efficiently. 

All eyes on the water

It seems a little obvious, but do not leave children unattended in the water, not even for a split second. It’s easy to get pulled in many directions with guests going in and out of the house, so if you are hosting a pool party or gathering, be sure to have a minimum of two designated adults watching the children in your absence. 

An easy way to do this is by creating a system for your designated watchmen to make sure they can communicate with you and the other person if they need to leave the poolside. For young children who can’t swim well, always ensure the adult remains within arms reach.

Conclusion

The time to prepare for pool season is now to help your children stay safe and happy next summer. Get them involved in practising safe tips and take the initiative to keep your pool in top shape. 

By inculcating all of these tips, you can enjoy your pool without worry or care.

For more tips on summer safety, check out our blog post on trampoline safety here!