A backyard pool isn’t just perfect for pool parties and weekend grills with your family and friends. It’s also an excellent way to keep children entertained without gadgets. Swimming is a refreshing physical fitness activity that effectively gets them moving. Also, they get enough sunlight while swimming, which boosts their serotonin levels.
Before adding pool time to the kids’ schedule, be sure to brush up on swimming pool safety guidelines. It’s particularly important if the children are novice swimmers or can’t swim yet at all. This way, you minimize accidents and other incidents that could put their health and safety at risk.
Our Las Vegas pool experts provide some tips on keeping kids safe while swimming.
Review the Basics of Water Safety
Rule number one of swimming pool safety: it’s better to be safe than sorry. Never let swim rings, water wings, and life jackets replace adult supervision. And even though you’re confident in your swimming skills and you have peace of mind knowing that 911 will always answer, it still pays to learn CPR.
On a related note, avoid drinking alcohol when you’re supervising kids by the pool. It might be tempting, especially when you’re dealing with the scorching heat, but you have to be alert while they’re in the water.
Swimming lessons are another thing to consider. While they are not a foolproof measure, they help prevent drowning accidents.
Additionally, the American Red Cross offers free online water safety courses for parents and caregivers. These courses can provide you with the information you need to ensure you’re keeping your children safe whenever they’re in or near the water.
Install Fences and Alarms Around the Pool
Personal alertness and attentiveness aren’t the only things that contribute to pool safety. Because you can’t follow them around all the time, kids might find a way to sneak into the pool area. For this reason, consider installing fences or alarms that keep them out of the pool when unsupervised.
The rule of fours in pool safety suggests surrounding all four sides of the pool with a fence that is at least four feet tall. The fence shouldn’t be higher than four inches off the ground, and its vertical slats should have a maximum gap of four inches.
You might also consider installing alarms on all entrances leading to the pool area. These alarms notify you if a child or children attempt to enter the pool area, giving you time to prevent access before they can jump in unattended.
Keep the Pool Clean All Year Round
In addition to learning the basics of water safety and keeping children away from the pool when unsupervised, you also have to check how safe the actual structure is. Make sure the pool water is always clean so that the kids aren’t at risk of ear infections, eye infections, and other illnesses caused by dirty pool water.
A trusted pool service company in Las Vegas, City Wide Pool Service features a 7-step process that keeps your pool clean and safe to use all year round. From tile cleaning and pool skimming to chemical balancing, our residential pool maintenance services help reduce health risks and put your mind at ease.
Get the pool ready for your kids. Contact us today for inquiries.
