With summertime here, more people spend time at the beach and areas of open water. While there are many fun activities that kids can take part in during this time, it is important to stay safe.
Parents should actively supervise their children when they are around bodies of water, whether it be the pool or at the beach. When children are at the beach or around open water, there are several things to keep in mind.
Tips for parents:
- Parents should learn CPR
- Educate your children about swimming safety
- Every child is different, so enroll your children in swimming lessons when you feel that they are ready
- Children should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device
- Children should swim with an adult
- Older, more experienced swimmers should swim with a partner every time
- When several adults present and children are swimming, use the Water Watcher card strategy to designate an adult as the Water Watcher for a certain amount of time to prevent lapses in supervision. Download the Water Watcher card here
There is no substitute for active supervision. Babies and young children should be with arms reach and older children should be within eyes reach.
This post was prepared by Safe Kids Georgia Intern Amina Omar.
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