5 Swimming Safety Tips for Kids

Summer in the Hamptons is in full swing! Pool or Beach is the question of the day - spending time in the water may be the most fun and active outdoor part of the year for children, but it can also be the most dangerous. Did you know that children under the age of 5 have the highest drowning rates worldwide? In the US alone, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional (accidental) injury or death in children aged 1-14 years. 
Scary right?! And what’s scarier is that backyard swimming pools are the most common site for children drowning between 1 and 4 years. 

*this blog post was originally posted on the Hamptons Swim blog. Check over there for lessons and more on the matter! 

Here are 5 important safety tips for keeping your child (and pool) safe:

1) SECURE YOUR POOL Your pool should be fenced in. It should have high locks on the fence leading to the pool (so children can’t reach to unlock it). If the locks on your rental home are not high or are easy to open, add additional locks. If you are unable to completely enclose the pool, proper precautions need to be made to lock and install alarms on all doors leading to the pool.    

2) SAY NO TO WATER WINGS  While life jackets offer protection to a person who cannot swim, they are also a danger in promoting a false sense of security in the water. Life jackets are NOT a substitute for swim lessons. While on boats or for an added layer of protection, make sure it is US Coast Guard approved and is not inflatable. ANY floatation device that requires inflation can be dangerous. We recommend these Puddle Jumper jackets.

3) DRESS YOUR CHILD IN BRIGHTLY COLORED BATHING SUITS AND SWIM SHIRTS They will be easier to spot in an emergency. Oranges, yellows, and pinks are great colors! Colors such as dark green and blue make it harder to spot your child in the water. 

4) STAY EDUCATED AND HAVE A PLAN Accidents and emergencies happen in an instant. It’s so important to be prepared and ready. Take a First Aid and CPR class and make sure your certifications are current. Parents should be prepared and communicate to their child care providers what to do in an emergency situation. Does you nanny have emergency contact information saved in their phone? Know where the closest hospital or urgent care is located? Cell service isn’t always good in the Hamptons, so make sure you always have easy access to WiFi, particularly by the pool.  

5) GET SWIM LESSONS FOR YOUR CHILD Swim lessons don’t drown-proof your child, but it can save lives. The earlier a child gets lessons, the earlier they will learn. 

We did a whole interview with Liz Parry, owner of Hamptons Swim on the matter! Check this out here!