Essential Poolside Safety Gear For Parents
Keeping your children safe when you have a pool is very important. Even if you have toddlers who can barely walk and won’t be swimming for a while, you still need to keep them away from your pool. In order to keep your young ones safe around the pool, try our essential poolside safety gear recommendations.
As a parent you have many important jobs. As a parent with a pool, your job just got a lot harder because once your kids take their first dip, they’ll be hooked. To keep them safe, try:
- A pool fence: This will ensure that your young ones, especially those who crawl, will not fall into the pool. If possible, buy a fence that is at least four feet tall and has self-closing and self-latching gates that your children cannot reach.
- Life jackets: Not just for boating, life jackets can provide an extra layer of protection for young children who are learning to swim. Remember when purchasing a life jacket for your youngster, it is important to get one that is specifically made for children.
- Inflatable swim vest: You can also substitute a life jacket for an inflatable swim vest; however, you should blow it up, not your kids. Their lung capacity isn’t as great as yours and they may not be able to inflate it properly.
- Floaties: For older children who are just starting to feel comfortable swimming on their own, arm band floaties offer added safety. They’re not as constricting as a life jacket and allow for your kids to swim along more freely while keeping them afloat. As with any inflatable pool safety gear, you should be the one blowing it up.
- Ring buoy: This device is usually found on a boat, but it also acts as a good poolside safety tool for parents. Ring buoys float and can be thrown into the water to save a loved one should an emergency occur.
- Kickboards: If you’ve ever taken a swimming lesson you’ve definitely used a kickboard. These flotation devices are used to help people learn to swim and strengthen the legs. Sure, you can use them to exercise, but in this case they are a great safety tool for kids because they float.
- Pool hook: If your child has trouble swimming, gets scared or falls into the water, a pool hook allows you to safely get your kid out of the pool without jumping in. It can also work for pets, if you have a dog or cat that decides to go for a swim even though the pool is off-limits.
The most essential poolside gear for parents are your own eyes. Be vigilant while your child is swimming and do not let a toddler swim on their own. There’s no law that says you have to hire a lifeguard for your at-home pool, so when it comes to your swimming area, that lifeguard is you.