Setting Effective Pool Safety Rules

Owning a pool can be lots of fun. You can take a refreshing dip whenever you want, you can host the coolest parties, and your house is the most popular place on the block in the summertime! However, owning a pool is also a big responsibility. In addition to safety barriers like a pool fence or pool net, setting effective pool safety rules for your kids is absolutely necessary for keeping your family safe.

We all know that public pools have rules that everyone must follow. Your private pool should be the same way. By establishing a clear set of swimming pool rules, you will help everyone who uses your pool have a safe and fun swimming experience. Here’s how you can do it:

Communicate with Your Kids

Setting swimming pool rules that stick requires much more than the old “Because I said so.” If you want your kids to follow the rules, they have to understand why you’ve set them — particularly when something as fun as the pool is on the line!

Talk with your children about the importance of pool safety rules. Explain to them what can happen if they run around the deck or roughhouse in the water (without scaring them too much). This will help them grasp learn just how essential the rules are, for both their safety and the safety of others swimming with them.

Of course, making sure the rules are respected will be an ongoing journey. It only takes one rousing game of Marco Polo for the kids to start running. Be patient and persistent, and you’ll be able to enforce the rules.

Post the Rules in the Yard

Whenever you set foot in a public pool, one of the first things you’ll notice is a list of swimming pool rules, posted front and center in big, bold letters. This makes it easy for everyone to see and understand what’s expected — and it’s a great reminder of the rules.

This policy is one you can easily implement for your own pool safety rules. A wooden sign and some waterproof paints are all you need (gets the kids involved, too — it makes a fun craft project). This will keep everyone aware of the rules, and help you more easily enforce them.

Once your sign is up, don’t be afraid to reference it when slip-ups happen (as they inevitably will). The sign can be a useful reminder, allowing swimmers in your pool to take accountability for their own behavior and their own safety.

Establish Swimming Times

One of the most common swimming pool rules is never allowing kids to swim alone. This rule makes a lot of sense; even the strongest swimmers need help sometimes, so someone should always be watching you swim. But does this mean you need to be ready to jump in every time your kids wants to? No!

One excellent pool safety rule is to only allow swimmers in your pool at specific times. This ensures that no one is ever in the water alone, and helps you set structure into your day (especially during the summer, when kids have much more free time.)

If you have a pool net or pool fence, make sure to use them when swimming time is over. Closing up the pool will help the kids understand that pool time is over, and help them recognize times when swimming is not safe.

Limit Your Pool Inflatables

This swimming pool rule is one of the harder ones for most families. Pool toys, especially inflatable ones, are relatively inexpensive and a whole lot of fun — so it’s only natural that your kids want a million of them! There’s no harm in that, right?

Actually, having too many pool inflatables can actually be a hazard. Many inflatables can flip over quite easily. And if there are too many toys in the pool, it can be hard for kids (particularly weaker swimmers) to find their way back to the water’s surface. Having many inflatables also block the view of anyone supervising the swimming, making it more difficult to see if children are drowning.

Keep Emergency Equipment Near

We would love to say that setting effective pool safety rules will eliminate the risk of an accident. However, that simply isn’t the case. You should always have emergency equipment in your pool area, be it a life ring on a rope, a shepherd’s hook, or simply a first aid kit (or all three).

It’s also critically important to include an emergency plan in your swimming pool rules. Each member of your family should know what to do and where to go in the event of a pool-related injury, from the adults grabbing the equipment to the kids getting out of the water and out of the way.

Practice this emergency plan in the same way you would a fire or an earthquake, so that everyone is prepared if it’s ever needed. Teach your kids to spot the signs of a swimming injury so they can alert the adult supervising them if necessary. By making this a part of your pool rules, you just might end up saving a life.

Reach Out to a Pool Safety Expert

All-Safe Pool Fence & Covers wants to help you transform your swimming pool area into a fun and safe environment for your family. Your free quote is only a click or two away! Click here to get a free quote and an on-site consultation.