How to Create a Safe and Sensory-Friendly Pool Environment for Kids

A sensory swim is an inclusive way to create safe autism swimming time for kids on the spectrum. Pool safety for kids often focuses on creating fun and enriching experiences with built-in safety. For kids who interact with the world through a non-neurotypical lens, it can be challenging to create an environment where they feel safe, engaged, and appreciated. Let’s take a look at what you can do to support swimmers with special needs by creating a quieter, less cluttered, sensory-friendly environment.

Kids Can Span the Spectrum

Autism can be a poorly understood, hard-to-diagnose, and life-altering condition that affects both children diagnosed with it and their loved ones. Every autistic person is a unique individual who lives with symptoms and behavioral patterns somewhere on a broad spectrum. While some autistic people may seem almost neurotypical, others may struggle to function with tasks that are considered routine in most people’s day-to-day lives. 

That means before you try to apply any of the broad suggestions we make for sensory swimming, you need to learn about the autistic swimmers you’re creating a safe space for. Work to understand who they are as people and the conditions that make them most comfortable. Some may find autism swimming times most comfortable with minimal accessibility modifications, while other kids may need quiet, non-distracting surroundings to feel safe in the pool. Remember that accommodation is always about the person, not the condition.

How to Create Sensory-Friendly Swimming Spaces

Minimize Sounds and Lower the Volume

Too many sounds overlapping each other or high volumes can easily overstimulate some autistic swimmers. Trying to follow too many voices at once, fixating on a multitude of sounds, or just being inundated with loud, booming music and vocals can become distracting or distressing quickly. Signs of distress may be hard to spot in some swimmers who seem to “shut down” when overstimulated, while others may panic and act out or exhibit concerning physical behaviors in an attempt to limit the noise or express themselves in the only way they can manage.

During sensory swimming, reduce the volume of any music that’s playing or turn it off entirely. Also, be conscious of the noise created by your pool’s accessories or other guests. Cultivating a quiet environment can reduce the stimulation to a more manageable level, making swimming with autism and all the physical sensations that come with it more manageable.

Calm the Waters for Motion-Avoidant Swimmers

When your sensory swimming time includes motion-avoidant autistic swimmers, understand that rapid movements can be distracting or frightening if they become overwhelmed. Plan activities that let them explore the calmness of the pool. This includes more than ensuring the action doesn’t get too rough with other swimmers. Actively plan activities to engage their senses without overwhelming them. 

• Floating – Floating can be a great low-movement activity that relaxes and calms the child while engaging them in sensory-friendly fun. Teaching or guiding them to float on top of the water allows them to explore the gentle movements of the current as it bobs them up and down.
• Cupping – If floating is too much or too soon, cupping the water and releasing it lets them feel the water’s properties and resistance while keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground. As they become more comfortable, gentle splashing may be appropriate, or they may be more willing to try more mobile exploration activities.
• Water Observation – The mesmerizing movement of the water’s surface is the perfect activity for sensory swimming or when you need to clear the pool to give everyone a break. Dangling their feet in the water, watching reflections play across it, or seeing the gentle current lapping along the edge of the pool can be favorite activities that don’t leave autistic swimmers feeling overwhelmed.
• Retrieving Objects -If the child prefers task-based activities, retrieving objects on the other side of the pool or in the shallow end can be the encouragement they need to step away from the edge and explore the pool. The important thing is not to force participation but to encourage it and accept their boundaries.

Engage with Activities for Motion-Seeking Swimmers

Motion seekers love the hustle, bustle, and crash of activity–even if they happen to be easily overwhelmed by sound. To make friendly sensory swimming activities for these kids, find controlled ways to let them harness the full range of motion, mobility, and activity the pool offers. Swimming has been shown to engage both sides of the brain, training the mind to map across hemispheres to encourage better coordination, focus, and problem-solving.

• Splashing Alone and With Groups – Splashing is a baseline activity with plenty of variations to tailor it to the child’s needs. They can go as big or as small as they want, exploring water resistance and sensations. It’s also a great way to let other kids play with your autistic swimmer, but watch out for signs of distress in case the action becomes too overwhelming.
• Jump – Create a safe space for them to jump into the pool. Make sure they’re entering legs or bottom-first and not head-first. The water should be deep enough that they won’t hit the bottom and injure their spine. With a trusted adult guiding and monitoring the action, the deeper part of the shallow end can be perfect.
• Swim – Motion-seeking swimmers with autism can have a lot of fun learning to swim and practicing their skills. It provides good exercise for their whole body, constant motion, and can help save their life around bodies of water.

Stick to Comfortable Physical Boundaries

Physical contact is frequently a triggering experience for autistic children and adults. Work to understand their individual preferences and keep to their boundaries when interacting. This may allow for guidance by hand, or even that minimal contact may be too much. Be sure to talk to the child about your intent and set expectations when starting these interactions and throughout. The focus is on keeping pool activities kid-safe while providing a welcoming, sensory-friendly swimming environment, so balance those two needs when deciding on your course of action.

Communicate to Keep Everyone on the Same Page

Remember to communicate with guests, parents, and other children about any behavioral expectations you have for them or that they should have for the swimming event. Sensory-friendly swimming takes everybody’s cooperation, but the results can be engaging and validating for the swimmers who need these small and reasonable accommodations to enjoy their swim time. 

Use Your Safety Barriers

Safety barriers help control the action in and around the pool area and keep swimmers safer from unsupervised access. Swimming pool safety nets and pool safety covers block access to the water’s surface. Removable mesh pool fencing helps moderate traffic around the pool area, filters excess movement outside the pool for more sensory-sensitive swimmers, and provides a partial wind block to ease its effects on water.

Get Your Free Pool Safety Barrier Quote

Your local independent installer is your community’s best resource for kids pool safety. They can help design a pool safety barrier plan that maintains your pool’s beauty while keeping your loved ones safe. Make sure your pool is ready for sensory-friendly swimming. Get your free estimate from an All-Safe Pool pro today.