While water safety should be a priority all year, May is National Water Safety Month! Being water aware is the first step to ensuring a great swimming experience for everyone. Consider the following so that you and your family can safely kick off the official swim season.
Swimming Lessons
Fostering a sense of security and confidence in and around the water is pivotal in creating a safe water environment. That’s what makes learning to swim, especially at a young age, so imperative. If you’re not comfortable enough in your own skills, leave the teaching to a professional. To find lessons, check out your local aquatic center, university, gym, or YMCA.
For a more in-depth recap of swimming lesson resources for your family, take a look at our previous blog post, “Learning To Swim.”
Kayak Pool Safety Features
In researching and designing your pool, safety should be at the top of the list of features. All Kayak Pools include many accessories that promote safety, such as:
Pool Fences
First, never leave a child or pet unattended anywhere near water. As a further preventative measure, install a pool fence–even if your pool is in a fenced backyard.
All Kayak Midwest Pools installations include a sturdy aluminum fence. With 36 inch-high railings and pickets spaced 4 inches apart, our fences are designed with small children and animals in mind.
Deck Material
While some might prefer the look of solid wood decks, there are dangers in installing one around your pool. Simply put, wood gets slippery. Additionally, as wood ages and is exposed to water, it will mold, splinter, rot and warp – not safe!
On the other hand, Kayak’s decks are made of extruded aluminum and coated in slip-resistant paint. Virtually indestructible (unlike wooden decks), these decks are also securely anchored into the pool wall and fence.
Ladders
An in-pool ladder should be a reliable, sturdy structure that will get you in and out of your swimming pool safely. Choose only pool ladders with handrails, and that have wide rungs that are slip-resistant.
In addition to an in-pool ladder, Kayak’s above-ground pools also feature a swing-up ladder built into each deck. After your pool sessions, lift the ladder upward and lock into place. Coupled with our fence, unwanted animals and unsupervised children will have great difficulty accessing your pool.
Pool Rules
Always remind your children of important rules – only enter the water when supervised, no diving in shallow areas, no glass containers, etc. Depending on age, take time to seriously review these rules with your children either before each pool day or a few times during the season.
Be on the lookout for 10 of our pool rules in a future blog post. And remember that water safety should be emphasized every time we enter a swimming pool!
