Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children, especially those younger than 4 years old, which is why it’s vital to teach children about water safety starting at an early age. Boat Lift Warehouse, your local provider of dock lights and other boat lift accessories, wants to share some tips on how to teach children about water safety.
The Basics
- Water Competency. If you’re wondering what it means to possess skills of water competency, ask yourself the question, “Can you swim well enough to save your life?” There is a difference between knowing how to swim well enough to stay afloat and really knowing how to swim well enough to be able to save your life in the water. According to the American Red Cross, water competency is categorized as being able to get in the water, take a breath, stay afloat, change position, then swim a distance and exit the water safely.
- Supervision. There is no better way to prevent a water-related emergency than to have an adult always supervising a child when around water. Children can drown in less than 2 inches of water and in just a moment of time, so supervision can be life-saving. One part of water competency is being able to help others in case of emergency. As a parent or supervising adult, you should be able to identify the signs of when someone is drowning and how to perform CPR or first aid if necessary. Most importantly, make it a well-known rule to your children that they are not allowed in the pool without an adult.
Teaching Tips
- Just keep floating, just keep floating. We know this isn’t quite what Dory says in Finding Nemo, but teaching kids to float is an important prerequisite to teaching them to swim. While all children may not know how to fully swim, teaching them to float is considered one of the most essential water safety skills. The idea of actually swimming is daunting to some kids but by simply teaching them to float, you ensure they can always keep their heads above water.
- Sign up for swimming lessons. Don’t worry parents, you don’t have to do all the work yourselves. Sign your children up for formal swim lessons and allow the professionals to do the teaching. Plus, swim lessons are a fun yet effective way for kids to learn to swim.
- Be familiar with the environment. Children learn best when they are in a setting that is comfortable and familiar to them. Whether your child is swimming in your backyard pool or down by the dock, it is important to familiarize them with their environment. Boat Lift Warehouse recognizes that many accidents could be prevented by making children more aware of their surroundings. This is why we offer a wide variety of dock safety accessories such as powerful dock lights.
Boat Lift Warehouse | Dock Lights & Boat Lift Accessories
Boat Lift Warehouse wants your dock area to be a safe hangout spot, and we hope you can use these tips to keep your children safe in and around the water. Contact us today to learn more about the dock accessories we offer including ladders, dock lights, and furniture.
