Your pool is precious and something that you value as a way to relax, unwind and even maintain good health. But, when it comes to your children—how do you keep them safe? By making sure they are educated and preparing your backyard as a safe kid zone, that’s how. With these swimming pool safety tips for children from the experts at The Pool Butler, we’ll show you how to keep your pool as safe as can be for your young children.

The Importance of a Safety Fence

The most significant step you can take to keep children safe around your pool is to install a pool safety fence. Many states, including Georgia, regulate swimming pool barriers according to the International Residential and International Building Codes. According to those codes, a barrier or fence must be at least 4 feet tall. Its gate that opens outward, is self-latching, and that locks. You can find the full details of International Residential and International Building Codes regulations on swimming pool barriers here.

Design the Rules

In addition to placing a barrier around your pool, you need to create and enforce rules. Make sure children know the rules that apply around a swimming pool. It’s a great idea to get your kids participating in swim classes. If your child is between the ages of one and four years old, swimming lessons won’t do much to teach them to swim. But early swimming lessons can help get your children used to the water, and start them on learning the basics of pool safety. At home, make sure that you implement and enforce rules around pool safety. Children should never be allowed to approach the pool without an adult. When using the pool, there should no running near the pool, no diving, etc.

To be as consistent as possible, make sure that these rules are reinforced around any water. For example, a hot tub, an inflatable kiddie pool, and even a large bucket they could fit their head into (this happens) are all safety hazards. Make sure that children know what the rules are each and every time you play around water, so you reduce your risk for danger.

Life-Saving Equipment

If you own a pool, you should also own life-saving equipment. Make sure that a phone is nearby any time you use the pool so that you can call 911 quickly in case of an emergency. Also, keep a floatation device by the pool at all times. If a person is actively drowning, they may not be able to grasp a floatation device. One of the best life-saving tools you can purchase is a safety hook that allows you to hook a drowning victim and drag them to safety even without them holding on.

Safety For Your Above Ground Pool

Some pool owners mistakenly think that above ground pools are safer than traditional in-ground pools, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In your children’s eyes, an above ground pool is a fantastic place to explore—and climbing up the stairs to the pool can lead to falling in and drowning within seconds. According to the International Residential and International Building Codes, an above-ground pool that is accessed by steps or a ladder should have the steps or ladder removed when the pool is not in use. That’s the easiest way to keep curious children out of the pool.

An excellent additional layer of protection is to invest in a four-foot fence that entirely surrounds the pool. Installing the same kind of barrier you would for an in-ground pool is the best way to secure your above-ground pool, too. It is one of the best ways to protect your children from getting into the pool without your permission. There are many variations of fences available; just be sure to invest in one that has a child safety latch for closing and opening.

Your pool is a great way to unwind, but nothing is more important than your children’s health and safety. Create a solid list of rules your kids can stick to, and invest in a fence and other safety measures that work well for your family. That way, you can have peace of mind year round!