Water can be a source of immense fun and wonderful memories for families. However, it's vital to remember that water also carries inherent risks, especially for young or inexperienced swimmers.
Therefore, a comprehensive understanding and diligent implementation of key water safety tips for swimming is crucial to ensure these experiences remain joyful and secure. Active supervision and being prepared for emergencies are not just suggestions, but fundamental responsibilities when children are near any body of water.
How to Supervise Kids Around Water
Many parents wonder what the safety precautions of swimming are, and the answer is simple — undistracted adult supervision.
Consider tips to ensure your kids stay safe:
1. Always Watch Children Closely
For toddlers and younger children, keeping them safe while swimming means practising "touch supervision". It's all about keeping kids within arm's reach at all times when they are in or near water. Even older children who can swim maintain a direct line of sight. Never assume another adult is watching your child unless you have explicitly handed over that responsibility.
2. Designate a Water Watcher
In group settings, like family gatherings or parties by the pool, it's easy for everyone to think someone else is watching. This is where the "Water Watcher" system becomes invaluable.
- Appoint a specific adult as the designated Water Watcher for a set period, for example, 15-20 minutes. That adult will wear the “Water Watcher” card.
- During their shift, the Water Watcher's sole responsibility is to observe the children in and around the water.
- After their shift, they formally pass the responsibility and any Water Watcher card to the next designated adult. This system ensures that there is always a pair of focused eyes on the swimmers at all times.
3. Eliminate Distractions
Drowning can happen in 20 to 60 seconds and often occurs silently, without the splashing or shouting depicted in films. Since situations can change quickly around water, your focused attention is the key to ensuring continued safety and enjoyment. These swimming safety tips regarding supervision are non-negotiable for keeping children safe.
- Put away mobile phones, tablets, and books when supervising children near water.
- Avoid engaging in lengthy or deep conversations that divert your attention.
- If you need to step away for any reason, even for a moment, ensure another responsible adult takes over or takes the child with you.
Pool Safety Rules to Remind Your Kids
Establishing clear pool safety rules and explaining the reasons behind them can significantly enhance water safety in swimming. When children understand why a rule exists, they are more likely to follow it.
- No running on wet pool decks: Pool surrounds are slippery, which is why it’s essential to walk carefully. Running can easily lead to falls and injuries, from minor scrapes to severe head injuries.
- No diving into shallow areas: Always check the depth before diving. Diving into shallow water can cause severe head, neck, and spinal injuries. Only dive in designated areas marked as safe for diving.
- Respect depth markers: Depth markers indicate how deep the water is in different parts of the pool. Teach children to be aware of these markers and to stay in depths appropriate for their swimming ability.
- Understand drain hazards and suction dangers: Pool drains and other suction fittings can pose a hidden risk. Explain to children that they should never play near or sit on pool drains. Hair, limbs, or even swimwear can become entrapped by the powerful suction, leading to drowning or serious injury.
For those with home pools, additional swimming safety tips for kids include ensuring that all anti-entrapment drain covers are compliant with current safety standards and are in good repair. A securely gated, four-sided pool enclosure or fence that isolates the pool from the house and garden is also a critical layer of protection.
Safety Tips for Swimming in Open Waters
Swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers presents distinct experiences and challenges compared to swimming in pools. Understanding how to stay safe while swimming in these environments is key to enjoying them without incident.
- Swim in designated swimming areas: Unlike the predictable environment of a swimming pool, open water can have hidden currents, uneven surfaces, sudden drop-offs, and changing conditions. Visibility can also be poor. Swimming in designated swimming areas can ensure that you and your kids are safe.
- Choose beaches with lifeguards: Whenever possible, swim at beaches patrolled by lifeguards and always swim between the designated flags, which mark the safest area.
- Learn to identify and escape rip currents: Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of water moving away from the shore. They can be dangerous even for strong swimmers. Teach children that if they get caught in a rip current, they should:
- Stay calm, and don't fight the current directly.
- Try to swim sideways, parallel to the shore, until they are out of the current.
- Once out, swim back towards the shore at an angle, away from the rip.
- If they cannot escape, they should float or tread water and signal for help.
- Be cautious of steep drop-offs and uneven terrain: The ground beneath natural bodies of water can be unpredictable. What seems shallow can suddenly become deep.
- Enter natural bodies of water slowly and carefully: Encourage feet-first entry, especially in water that isn't clear, to check for depth and submerged hazards like rocks or branches.
Why Swim Lessons Are Non-Negotiable
Formal swimming lessons are one of the most critical layers of protection against drowning and a cornerstone of water safety tips for swimming. They do more than just teach strokes; they build life-saving skills and water confidence.
- Swim lessons build life-saving skills: Quality lessons teach children essential skills like floating, treading water, safely entering and exiting the water, and getting to a point of safety.
- Lessons reduce panic and build confidence: Familiarity with the water and knowing how to handle unexpected situations like falling in. It helps children stay calm and react appropriately, significantly reducing panic. This confidence is crucial for water safety in swimming.
At The Swim Starter, we believe every child deserves to learn how to swim confidently and safely. Our kids' swimming lessons are available in various locations in Singapore. These classes are designed to build water confidence and essential survival skills through engaging, fun-first lessons.
Essential Swimming Safety Skills for Kids
Beyond basic strokes, there are specific survival skills that form the bedrock of swimming safety tips for kids. Ensure your child learns and practises these:
1. Floating and Treading Water
Being able to float on their back or tread water allows a child to rest, stay calm, conserve energy, and keep their head above water to breathe and signal for help if they find themselves in difficulty.
2. Getting In and Out Safely
Children should know how to enter and exit the water safely, whether it's using ladders, steps, or the shallow end of a pool. This helps prevent slips, falls, or injuries from jumping into unexpectedly shallow or hazardous areas.
3. Turning Around in Water
Suppose a child accidentally falls into the water or becomes disoriented. In that case, the ability to turn around and orient themselves towards the pool edge, shoreline, or a point of safety is vital.
4. Breathing While Swimming
Learning proper breathing techniques is fundamental. It allows children to swim for longer distances without tiring quickly and helps prevent panic if they accidentally submerge or swallow water.
5. Wearing Life Vests
For young children, inexperienced swimmers, or when engaging in activities such as boating, a properly fitted, approved life vest or life jacket provides critical flotation support. It's essential to note that armbands and other inflatable toys are not life-saving devices and should not be relied upon for safety purposes.
Swim Fun Starts with Swim Safety
Ultimately, ensuring a child's enjoyment of water activities is intrinsically linked to their safety. Swimming safety tips are not about instilling fear but about empowering children and parents with the knowledge and skills necessary for secure aquatic experiences. This empowerment is built on a foundation of awareness, thorough preparation, and ongoing education. It involves prioritising survival-focused swim lessons from a reputable provider, like The Swim Starter, where we are committed to teaching these vital skills.
Alongside formal instruction, regularly reinforce pool and open water rules, and remember that safety conversations must evolve as your child grows, gains more swimming experience, and encounters different aquatic environments.
Help kids learn life skills with The Swim Starter. You can enrol them in our Sengkang, Bishan, Clementi, or Pasir Ris swimming class, depending on your preferred location. Together with our trained swimming instructors, we can teach your child how to stay safe while swimming.
