When you’re a kid, swimming is one of the best things in the world.
But as a parent, it can be really nerve-racking.
You may have seen some charts circulating on the safest swimsuit colors for your kids for maximum visibility, so today we wanted to re-share the information in the hopes of making pool or beach time more fun for your kids. We’re also going to share some tips and personal experience from our team on pool safety, what drowning can look like, and how to help your kids be the best little swimmers.
The Safest Swimsuit Colors For Your Kids
The issue is that pool liners and oceans are different shades of blue, ranging from very light to very dark. And what you think might be able to see when your child is underwater, may not be the best bet for a particular body of water. We loved this chart from @toxinfreetay who got it from @aquaticsafetyconnection. So take a look below. You might be shocked from this color analysis.
As you can see, even the brightest colors can be hard to see. Saying that, the brightest, most neon colors are the very best option no matter where you are swimming. Lauryn loves these shorts and this top for Townes, and this suit for Zaza.
Don’t go throwing away all your kids’ swimsuits just yet. This doesn’t mean your kids can’t have chic, fun swimwear that aren’t necessarily bright. @toxinfreetay says that her family saves their lighter colored swimwear for water parks, splash pads and running through the backyard sprinkler.
On that note, here are some water safety tips to keep in mind this summer whether you’re at the lake, the pool or the beach.
WATER SAFETY TIPS FOR KIDS
Use proper floating devices
Be sure your life jackets and puddle jumpers are the correct size for your child. On the inside you’ll see weight guidelines and certifications. For babies, the between the leg strap is important, but it’s not necessary for older kids. Do your own research and try them on your kids before buying to ensure the best fit.
In our opinion life jackets are necessary for water sports like paddle boarding, kayaking, boating, fishing etc. If kids are swimming, we love puddle jumpers. It helps them float but gives them the freedom to practice and learn how to swim.
Only you know the skill level of your kids and if you need to be in the water with them at all times. We tend to think that being in a lake or ocean, they should have an adult near at all times. In a pool, depending on your comfort level, your kids may be fine to be in alone. In fact, sometimes watching more than one kid when you’re out of the pool can give you a better view of the whole area and allow you to jump in exactly where you’re needed should someone need help, opposed to swimming your way over to the other end.
Stay off your phone
Get all your phone calls and texts out of the way before you hit the water, and turn your phone on airplane mode. Extreme? Maybe. But think about how many times you’ve gone to look at the time on your phone, only to see text notifications that you start to answer. Before you know it you’re distracted, returning texts, or reading a headline and haven’t looked up for 1 whole minute. Drowning can happen in 6 seconds and is silent. So 1 minute is too long.
Put your phone away and pay attention. Just like texting and driving, no text or phone call is worth it.
Tell your friends you can’t talk while your kids are in the water
For all the same reasons above. It’s so easy to see a friend at the beach or the pool and start chatting. But it’s quite hard for our brains to focus on more than one thing at a time. So you could be ‘looking’ at your kids, talking to a friend, fully engaged, but not actually SEE what’s happening in the water.
Save the catch up for snack time when you’re kids are out of the water taking a break.
Keep floating devices on toddlers until the second you leave
This is especially necessary for children under 3. Young toddlers quite often don’t listen and roam around without a care in the world. This could be into traffic, down a steep hill, into a pile of mud or… a body of water.
Picture this: You’re a parent leaving the beach or pool. Your child gets out of the water and you remove their floating device so they can dry off and you can pack up. You turn your back for 10 seconds and the next thing you know, they’re at the shore or walking down the steps to the pool. It happens ALL the time. So unless you have another parent who can be fully dedicated to watching that toddler and only watching that toddler, keep the floatie on until it’s actually time to leave.
If you have to step away, assign one specific person to a specific child
If you have to leave the area for any reason, try to assign one specific person to one specific child. Instead of saying “I’m just running to the washroom, can you guys watch the kids?” try saying “I need to use the washroom. Debbie, can you please watch Alice? Carl, can you please watch Jake?”
This allows everyone to know what they’re doing instead of each person assuming the other person is watching the kids.
Lay down the ‘play’ rules
Kids, especially older kids love to play games in the water. They may try to wrestle, have breath holding contests, have chicken fights or race. All of those are so much fun.
For younger kids, even if they’re wearing floating devices, it’s important to go over some general rules. Some might seem obvious, but to a 4 year old they’re not. Things like: no jumping in unless the water is clear, no hugging, grabbing, pushing under or even touching friends (you’d be surprised how many kids think pushing others’ heads under water is fun).
Make your rules depending on where you are and your surrounds, who you’re with and your own comfort level.
We hope all these little tips helped. Swimming should be fun, but it’s important to remember that DROWNING IS SILENT and doesn’t look like drowning. It also only takes 6 seconds and can happen in the shallowest body of water.
Happy swimming and stay safe!
x, The Skinny Confidential team
+ Lauryn’s favorite long-sleeve, sun protective swimsuit for herself is here.
++ Mold-free bath toys you need for your kids.
NEON SWIM:
