Summer is in full swing and water safety for kids needs to be of utmost importance for all parents and caregivers. I've partnered with Allstate to share some water safety tips that every parent needs to read.
One of the scariest things about living in Florida is the sheer volume of water. And I'm not just talking about the ocean that surrounds most of our state. Almost every house in our neighborhood has a pool and there are at least three ponds in plain sight within a ¼ mile from our home. During the rainy season, even some drainage areas along the sides of the roads fill with water so high that an adult would be waist or chest high. That's why I started talking about water safety for kids early with my children. As soon as they could understand "yes" or "no," we started laying ground rules in regards to water.
According to the World Health Organization, 372,000 people die from drowning each year and globally, the highest drowning rates are among children aged 1–4 years, followed by children aged 5–9 years. This could mean life or death for your children, so I want to share a few things you should teach your kids about water safety. Then, I want to set some serious ground rules with you, the adults.
Water safety for kids
Here are a few quick things to teach kids about water safety:
- Never approach water or enter water without adult supervision (this should be true of the ocean, ponds, rivers, streams, pools, bathtubs, and even buckets).
- Never reach for a toy or float that's in the water. Always call for an adult.
- For older children that know how to swim, reinforce that they should always swim with a buddy
- Also for older kids, never dive in areas that are not marked for diving to prevent potentially fatal injuries.
Now, here are a few things that parents and caregivers NEED TO READ when it comes to water safety for kids:
Be vigilant - We're more distracted than ever. Always having a phone nearby means more potential for phone calls, text messages and web surfing, which means you could be taking your eyes off your children when they need you the most. When your children are in the pool, at the beach, or anywhere near a body of water, your full attention needs to be on them and where they are at all times. If you get a phone call, keep it short. Better yet, put your phone on "do not disturb" mode to avoid any potential distractions.
Don't be fooled by crowds - You'd think a pool full of people should make you feel a little safer, but you'd be wrong. It makes sense that you'd think more people means even more eyes to watch the children near the pool, but social gatherings means people are chatting, eating, and otherwise enjoying themselves. It's so easy to get distracted in those situations.
A few weeks ago I was at a family picnic. There were probably 4 or 5 adults and 10 children in the pool. My 5 year old son, who has been swimming pretty well for about a year and a half, was in the pool with his older cousins. I was on the pool deck trying to keep my 2 year old daughter from entering the pool, but I was also keeping a close eye on my son. He had been jumping into the pool over and over and I knew he would be getting tired soon so I thought I'd give him just 5 more minutes before calling him out of the water. He was about 1 foot from an adult (who had her back to him as she tended to her child) and I noticed a flash of panic on his face. I called out to the adult and had her grab my son and guide him to the edge of the pool. I'm not trying to be overdramatic, but quite honestly that could have been it. He didn't make a peep and didn't call out for help, but suddenly he looked distressed and then his head started to dip under the water. If I wasn't paying attention and just thought, "Well there are tons of people in the pool, someone would notice if he was in trouble," that could have been the biggest mistake of my life.
Assign a water watcher - If you're with another adult or adults, you need to assign a "water watcher." That person's sole responsibility needs to be watching the children that are in the water. No one should talk to or distract the water watcher. I've even seen special lanyards be passed out to people that are assigned to watch the pool at parties. They used a tag-in and tag-out system so everyone had a mini shift. Also, if you've got little swimmers in the pool, don't forget that infants and toddlers (and anyone considered a weak swimmer) should have an adult swimmer within arm's reach.
Don't be lulled into a false sense of security - While water wings and floaties may be useful tools for teaching young children how to swim and may help keep them safe while learning, do not let those tools and pool floats give you a false sense of security. No flotation device can take the place of adult supervision.
Never assume - Never, ever assume that a child who knows how to swim or who is very proficient at swimming isn't at risk for drowning. EVERY single child needs to be supervised when they're in the water regardless of age or swimming ability.
Pack up the toys once the fun is done - Once you're finished using water toys and floats, gather them up and put them out of sight to prevent children from reaching into the water to grab them as recommended in this article about swimming pool safety.
Know the signs of drowning - Drowning doesn't look like it does on TV. You probably won't see anyone violently splashing around or calling for help. As I mentioned earlier, my own son didn't make a peep or flail his arms; he just looked panicked before his head dipped under the water.
Here are some things to watch for according to Allstate:
- Head low in water, mouth at water level
- Head tilted back with open mouth
- Glassy eyes that are unable to focus or closed eyes
- Not kicking with legs
- Hair covering the forehead or eyes
- Gasping for breath or hyperventilating
- Inability to respond to the question: “Are you OK?”
- Silence
Per the American Red Cross, the correct steps to take when you see a swimmer who needs help is to shout for help, reach or throw the person a rescue or flotation device and tell them to grab it; then call 9-1-1 if needed.
Lastly, I want to touch on "dry drowning" since this has been a hot topic on social media lately. The terms “dry drowning” and “secondary drowning” are not actual medical terms, but they describe rare complications that are more common in children.
As described by Dr. Nina Radcliff in The Washington Post, dry drowning happens when your child breathes in water and his or her vocal cords spasm and close up. This basically closes off her airway and makes it hard for her to breathe, although water never reaches the lungs. This is immediate and you'd notice it right away, unlike secondary drowning. Secondary drowning happens when water actually gets into the lungs and the lungs' linings become irritated. This can cause fluid to build up inside the lungs (otherwise known as pulmonary edema). This can be immediate or it can happen over the next 24 hours and could be life threatening.
I hope you'll take water safety for children seriously every day and keep this information at the forefront of your mind. Please don't let anything distract you from ensuring your children are safe and don't forget to enroll your child in swimming lessons as soon possible.
What steps will you take to avoid the dangers of drowning?
Do you have any other water safety for kids tips or advice?
Disclosure: This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated to not only protecting what matters most- but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.
Mia says
I think the idea of a water watcher is fabulous. Things can happen so fast and it is a good idea to have someone focused on just watching the kids in the water. As with your son, I have noticed that kids don't necessarily call out when they are having difficulty.
Sapana V says
Great tips. Yes, every parent must be aware of these tips.
Amber Ludwig says
Omgosh yes!! All so important!! i find that having a lifeguard on duty can give parents a false sense of security too!! I see tons of distracted parents at the beach but in all honesty its not the lifeguard's job to watch YOUR child, it ours!!
Jenny says
Thanks for posting. My 3 year old is taking swim lessons at the YMCa and the first thing they teach is to ask permission to enter the water. My son has done really well at asking even at our neighborhood pool. I also like the idea of a water watcher.
Diana Lopes says
Very important tips! Thanks for taking the time to put them all together!
Ashley Y says
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
mami2jcn says
I'm very nervous about introducing my kids to the water. My daughter is turning 2 in September and still hasn't gone to the pool yet!
Dandi D says
This is very informative and good to share with others this time of year!
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
These are great tips! After working on a boat for 8 years, I learned that many people do not know what drowning looks like and some have a false sense of security on the water. I've seen a lot and it makes you really respect water and the strength it can have. I think its so important to teach our kids to respect the water and how to swim at an early age.
Victoria Scott says
Being at the pool or waterpark always make me so nervous. Thank you for the reminder tips! I really like the idea of a water watcher!
Melissa says
Thank you for this post! These are all great tips and guidelines for water safety.
Cynthia brooks says
I think the signs of drowning are most important. We really do often think of movies as our reference points if we've not experienced it ourselves. Knowing it can be as silent as dipping below a surface of water is all we need to know and that can happen so fast. Being vigilant as to see whether that child's head pops right back up is majorly what every parent should look for. The hard part is when you have children that are avid under water swimmers and you just think they're underwater swimming so you're less likely to be prepared to think they could be drowning because theyre bot physically in conttol or having a lack of oxygen to their brain preceding drowning. Both so scary with same need which is being very vigilant no matter what.
jennifer peters says
I love the tip about assigning a water watcher. I have watched videos & see that drowning doesn't always look like drowning. That is scary
Erika Mijares says
Wonderful tips every parent should be aware of.
denise low says
Thank you for sharing. My kids are grown now but I have grandkids that needs to watch over too.
Kristen c. says
Great tips!! I think once kids can swim you get a bit more relaxed but like you said every child needs close supervision in water. Thank you!
Pamela Smith says
Thanks for the great tips!
Sara says
Thanks so much for this post. We are headed to the beach soon with our kids and grandkids, I will share and tag them. My son almost drowned once and I will never forget that look of panic on his face. So scary.
Darcy Koch says
Great tips to talk to your children about water safety. It is so important to be very observant and watch them closely.
Sara says
This is a great post. We are headed to to beach in a few weeks with our kids and grandkids. Sharing because my son almost drowned once and the look of panic that you described is something I will never forget.
Mandy hammons says
Love the water watcher! What a great idea
Nancy Thompson says
Nice tips
Michelle W says
My tip #1 never let your swim alone watch them at all times thanks for all your tips they definitely will
Come in handy this summer
debra w says
The little ones can get in trouble in a sec. keep your eyes on them
Gloria Walshver says
Parents always I stress always keep a eye on your children in the pool.
Brittany says
I think water saftey is an absolute must!! These are some amzing tips that I shall always keep in mind
Tia Marie Nguyen says
Thank you for the very informative article. We are having a summer birthday pool party for our son who turns 7 this week and will be using the adult pool watching tip!
Kelly Voreis says
Thanks for sharing! One of my biggest fears is that my son with drown
Kim says
Love this article. Water safety is so important. The best water safety is swim lessons every year for several years. Children need to be able to swim.
Leigh Kitchens says
I especially like the tip of assigning a water watcher. It's too easy to feel relaxed about watching when there is a crowd around.
NICOLE J BECKER says
Thank u so much for these tips!! We bought a pool this year and we have 2 very young granddaughters. I watch them like a hawk near and in the pool. Happy Summer???
Elena says
I love the idea of a water watcher! And by all means, put the phones down!
Kristine sleeper says
Love this! So important!
Phyllis Profitt says
A water watcher is so important! Things can happen so fast especially near water. This is a great idea!
Dana Rodriguez says
Great post. Anyone with little ones needs to read this!
Payton Dockery says
It is so important, even when you are "relaxing" at the pool to have someone watching the kids at all times. Love the water watcher idea.
lanette says
Good Tips
Rosie says
These are very good tips. When I was a kid, I saw them take a girl out of the water who had drowned while we were all swimming right there and her parents watching. It was shocking, as nobody had any idea anything had happened at all.
Mia Rose says
I had never heard of dry drowning until very recently. Good information to know and be aware of especially in the summer when kids are around the water.
Linda Manns Linneman says
Teaching the children water safety is so important. I started with my boys at six months and we did the same with the grandchildren. They are all good swimmers now. My grandchildren are seven and nine and they love the water and know the safety rules. Thank you for sharing this great article. God Bless
Linda Manns Linneman says
It is so important that we teach our children at a young age. So many little ones lose their lives from water accidents. I started my children and grandchildren out at six months of age. I have never regretted it. Thank you so much for sharing
Marilyn says
Thank you for these important tips.
Marilyn
Jeffrey says
This is good information. I'll pass it on to my niece to read.
Alberta Conner says
Thanks for posting! Great tips!
Echo G says
Definitely a good reminder & read. I dread summer with all the drowning and kids left in hot car stories. #FL
Leslie Thomas says
Our daughter is 3.5yo now and like me, a waterbug. I was born & raised on the beach, swimming has always been a part of my life. My husband, while growing up outside of the same coastal town, is not a strong swimner, never spending much time at the beach.
I have made sure that our daughter knows that the water is to be respected at all times. While fun can be had, people can be seriously injured or lose their lives in it. There is never anything wrong with using a float if you're in the water either.
We were at our neighborhood's clubhouse a few weeks ago when a little boy h his family came to the pool. We were the only people there. While working on her swimming, the little boy decided he'd sit on one of the platforms while his mom & aunt were busy laying out & talking. My husband saw him first, the little boy had decided to slip off the platform to "try to sink" and he feet were just shy of touching the bottom, so he couldn't keep his head above water. It was silent & if it weren't for my husband glancing over, it could've been far worse.
After we finished helping the boy, we all left & our daughter said "that's why we respect the water, right?" Thankful that she's been listening to us.
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
I've worked around water for years and didn't know what secondary drowning was until a few years ago, after it became more mentioned on social media. That really scares me now that my oldest is learning to swim and she spends a lot of time swimming under the water. Definitely is a good thing to be aware of.
Nancy says
These are great tips. You can never be too careful when kids are around water.
Calli Gaddis says
This is a great resource for parents. I'm sure there are others like me, where all we see are the negative stories about children and water - this is a great reminder to be our children's advocate when it comes to their safety around water.
Kelly A. says
Great tips! We have a pool in an area where it's not really common to have a pool & one thing we do is to not allow neighbor kids in the pool. Our thinking is that they might think they can use the pool anytime & let themselves in when we aren't home.
Tara Beckage says
Great tips! I'm definitely super aware when my kids are swimming. There is something else that concerns me even more.. Dry drowning. I've read a few articles about children dying from it & it's super scarey. I'd love some tips to look out for signs of dry drowning... If possible.. Thanks so much for the info.
mary simonton says
teach your kids to swim a
and aleays with a buddy when they get older wear a life jacket
Julie Hansen says
The water can be a great place to cool off in the summer, but scary! I don't like to go swimming with my son if there is a lot of people. It just makes it too hard to watch him and worry about others. It is a good idea to teach kiddos water safety for not only themselves but other kiddos that may not know. Such a great post Thank you for sharing!
Pat F says
A water watcher is very important. Thank you for sharing all of these important tips!
Melissa Storms says
The idea of a water watcher is a great one. Even if all parents are watching their children it is a fantastic idea to have eyes keeping an overall watch.
Alyssa E. says
This is such an important post. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Marilyn says
These tips are a safety and a possible life saving post.
Marilyn
Deborah D says
This is one post, in my opinion, that everyone should read. There is a lot of great information in this post.
Chantelle Webber says
Great tips... everyone needs to know all they can about water safty
Mia says
These are such important suggestions that I will share with members of my family as we are headed for a day at the beach this weekend.
Jodi W says
This is so very important to teach all children about! thanks for sharing how to approch subject for all parents and kids.
Nancy says
Water safety is ultra, ultra important for all families.
Katie AB says
I love the idea of a water watcher and teaching kids to ask permission before getting in the water.
Sue E says
This is IMPORTANT!! I didn't even know about Dry or SECONDARY Drownings!! It's pretty damned scary!! I shared this on as many Social Media websites as I could to spread the word!, thank you for sharin! I probably would have never had read this if this wasn't an entry on your contests!
When my kids were small, even before we got a pool, I took my kids to the Y for swimming lessons. In my opinion, this was one of the most important gifts ? I could give my kids - life is precious!
Margaret Appel says
Thank you for sharing a very informative article on the importance of water safety for children. I shared this with my Facebook friends. Parents can never be too careful when it comes to children.
Jessica Lodge says
This was a wonderful article on water safety. I have had a few scary experiences in my lifetime and having 3 kids under 6 I'm always stressed when I'm in the pool with them. I like the idea of assigning a water watcher. I would also say that it's ok to have life vest on the kids in the pool, especially when you're trying to watch more than one child in the pool.
Katie L. says
these are great tips for water safety. I would add that it's always wise that young children wear a life vest at all times while at a beach/lake/ocean. A young child recently drowned at a nearby lake on the beach front access. It's especially important for crowded areas.
Terri Quick says
All very good tips for water safety
debra says
The best advice is to always watch your children in the water. Things can happen quickly. Dont ever let them in the pool alone and always keep that gate locked when they are not. Its so important to teach them water safety.
Victoria says
It is very important to teach water safety. As a child, I almost drowned, it was very scary. I always make sure to have an eye on my little ones in the water. Swim lessons are also very important.
Lauren Jones says
A watcher should be mandatory at every pool. It could prevent many accidents or fatalities every year.
Chrstie Heckler says
This info provides really good common sense & helpful tips for safety that are brought to our attention for danger prevention.
Cathy Jarolin says
Thank You for sharing these very Important tips about watching your children in the water. I see so many adults chit chatting to each other and not paying any attention to what their children are doing or not doing! I get nervous and the more I see their kids doing things dangerously the more upset I become. So I take it upon my self to disrupt the chit chat and tell them to watch their kids before some one gets hurt!! Then I leave because I have had enough for one day! I wish more people were like you. You keep your eyes peeled on your children all the time..
Linda Manns Linneman says
Water safety is so important for our little ones. You hear of way to many drownings. Thank you so much for the great article
Sara C says
Dont be fooled by crowds and be present--yes!! Such smart words. the little ones are so quick and a couple seconds could make all the difference. We spend a lot of time at the beach and my daughter bolts towards the water as soon as she's free from my arms. Love her excitement but definitely keeps me on my toes.
Deborah W. says
It's so very important to keep your eyes on little ones all the time around water. They are very curious. As soon as they are willing and able they need to learn how to swim too. Good ideas!
Sandra Preti says
The buddy system is always a good idea in the water! Always have someone nearby who can help or call for help when needed.
Lauryn R says
These are great tips, water safety is definitely something to never be taken lightly! At the moment we only have a kiddie pool but I still constantly stay by my three kiddos while they are swimming in it.
Kari Lorz says
Yes! The lifeguard has a lot of ground to cover, be your kids own and be a water watcher!
denise low says
Thank you for sharing. It amazes me that kids can learn to swim at a young age.
Lyndsey R. says
Great tips. Safety is key when swimming or being around water period.
jennifer peters says
Water is a wonderful but dangerous thing. Drowning doesn't typical look like wild flailing around & screaming. I saw someone need rescue at White Water this summer. There was about 30 people in the pool area & no one had a clue that person needed help. Luckily their lifeguards are well trained & pulled him out before it got bad.
Sarah Bihms says
What a great reminder! I am taking my daughter to a pool party this weekend - perfect timing!
Sandy Klocinski says
The water watcher idea is awesome! These are great tips for any parent. Just because there is a lifeguard doesn't mean parents should be any less vigilant
Natalie says
We are very careful to make sure our nieces and nephew are safe in the water!
Tina says
I love these tips. they are very important to know.
Holly Thomas says
I almost drowned when I was 2, I was sitting on the side of a in ground pool and a kid pushed me in, thankfully I was able to find the ladder quickly!
Jessica B says
Thanks for sharing this. So important.
Sarah L says
Good tips. I think kids should have swimming lessons as soon as they can walk.
karley moore says
Great info that everyone should read!!!
Nicholette says
These are great. My sis has an inground pool and no fence around it. Makes me so nervous with my little nephew!!
Cassie says
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Casey M says
So important! You never know what could happen!
Chelsea Walter says
Amazing! This is things every parent needs to know because you never know what can happen!
Chasta howes says
Great tips! We keep our pool ladder pulled up in the air so my soon to be 2 year old can't climb it bc he loves to climb
denise low says
These are very important tips. It scares me to see little ones swimming . Thank you for sharing.
Julie Terry says
Great tips. Thanks for sharing
Maddy k Lewis says
Wonderful tips! My daughter is 1years old. Never can be to careful!
April Moore says
Great tips! A water watcher is so so so important! Thanks
Chelsea Couch says
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!