Your child desperately wants to play in the community pool on a hot summer’s day. But you’re juggling lots of different tasks; is it okay for her to go for a swim while you’re doing something else? Surely nothing bad can happen? There’s a lifeguard, and plenty of other adults are around. But something’s nagging at the back of your mind. How do you make sure your child is safe around water?

It’s no joke that water safety is one of the most important things you can learn as a parent. Until a child is five, water should be treated with the utmost caution and respect, as it can prove to be disastrous if an accident happens.

But don’t worry! We’re here to guide you through every potential hazard and provide you with the solutions and strategies to ensure your little one is safe in and around water.

How can water be so dangerous?

Here are the top reasons why water is such a potential hazard:

Even if your child has swimming lessons, they probably haven’t been taught with a focus on water survival. You might be lulled into a false sense of security with the idea your child can swim, but water is still a hazard regardless of swimming experience.

If a child swallows too much water, the cleaning chemicals can make them ill or cause them to suffer illnesses.

Even small bodies of water can be hazardous. This includes ponds, ditches, fountains, and rain barrels. Even a large bucket could be dangerous.

If they run near a pool, they could slip and seriously hurt themselves on hard surfaces or fall in.

If your child is dependent on toys to float, they could suddenly slip off, which is especially dangerous if they’ve drifted to the deep end of a pool.

If a child dives in at the shallow end of a pool, they could injure themselves. If they accidentally go into the deep end of the pool, the shock might prevent them from swimming.

If your garden has a pool, your child could fall in if left unsupervised and uncovered.

Spas and hot tubs can overheat young children if the water is too hot and they’re in there for too long.

Now that we know what hazards we’re looking for, we can look at some solutions so that your child is safe whenever they’re around water.

How can I keep my child safe around water?

We’ve got you covered with the best strategies to play safely around water:

Children aged four or older learn swimming skills more quickly than younger children because their bodies have developed more. Ideally, all children should be taught to swim once they’re developmentally ready.

Make sure to empty any water containers, such as buckets and paddling pools. Bacterial and chemical contamination can make any body of water unsafe, so check to see what water sources are safe for your child to play in.

You should teach and enforce safety rules: no running around the pool, and certainly no pushing other people underwater.

If you have a home swimming pool, make sure it is covered completely when not in use and completely uncovered when being used. Never let your child run on the pool cover, as they could fall through and get trapped. If it’s heavily rained, the pool cover could be as dangerous as the pool itself with collected water.

Even better, you could install a fence around the pool's perimeter and close it with a locked gate. Make sure there are no gaps a child could squeeze through, and keep toys out of the pool when not in use so that the child isn’t tempted.

Make sure a safety ring is attached to a rope and that you and other adults know where it is located. Take note of any emergency numbers.

Make sure that the shallow and deep ends are clearly marked and that your child clearly knows which end is which.

Hot tubs and spas should never exceed 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit). Limit the time spent in the tub to 15 minutes, and make sure your child doesn’t have access to the temperature controls.

Instead of relying on pool toys and floats, make sure your child is wearing a life jacket or ‘boat coat’ when swimming or in a boat. A life jacket doesn't fit properly if you can’t lift it over your child’s head once it’s fastened. If your child is under 5, it should have a floatation collar to keep their heads upright and out of the water.

Most importantly, adults should be giving children their full attention and not trying to balance tasks while supervising. A single moment of distraction could have serious consequences. While lifeguards are essential for swimming pools, only you can always be focused on your child. Make sure you know CPR and emergency phone numbers should the need arise. Once your child is finished in the water, you can go back to doing other tasks.

How Can I Make Sure My Child is Safe Around Water?

Unii shares how to keep your child safe by the pool.