Water safety for kids: What every parent needs to know this summer
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Water play is fun but safety is key.
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Summer is here, and for families lucky enough to have pools, the backyard is suddenly the most popular place on the block. Whether yours is inflatable, above-ground, or in-ground, water play is one of the best parts of the season — and one of the most important to take seriously.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 in the United States, and rates have been climbing. According to the CDC, over 4,000 people drown unintentionally every year in the US — roughly 11 a day — and a 2024 CDC report found that drowning deaths among toddlers increased 28% between 2019 and 2022. For kids 5–14, it’s the second leading cause of unintentional injury death.
The good news: most childhood drownings are preventable. Here’s what you need to know.
Water safety tips for kids: 5 things every parent should do
1. Assign a designated watcher
During a pool party or a cookout there’s a lot going on, and it’s natural to get distracted. That’s why the Mayo Clinic recommends parents and adults at such gatherings take turns tapping in as the “designated watcher” and fully focus on the kids playing in or around a pool. No phones, no distractions.
A survey by Safe Kids Worldwide found that many parents (48%) believe they would hear splashing, crying or screaming if their child was in danger in the pool, but submersion injuries actually tend to happen silently, so watching is better than keeping an ear out. Kids under four are particularly vulnerable to drowning, so they should be kept within arms reach of when swimming in a pool.
2. Get swim lessons — and keep supervising anyway
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “children over age one may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal swimming instruction. However, there is no evidence that swimming lessons or water survival skills courses can prevent drowning in babies younger than one year of age.”
While it is true that swimming lessons are no substitute for adult supervision, infant swimming lessons are a good way to introduce your child (and maybe give yourself a refresher course) on the basics of water safety.
Infant self-rescue swimming lessons (which aim to teach babies how to roll onto their back and float) are popular with parents, but have attracted controversy in the past, and safety experts don’t want parents to feel overconfident in a child’s ability after taking such a course.
“Parents may think they won’t have to supervise as closely,” Barbara Morrongiello, a professor with the University of Guelph who studies drowning prevention, told Global News. Morrongiello notes that swim lessons for toddlers can help the children become confident in the water, but she doesn’t want parents to get overconfident.
3. Build barriers around your pool
According to the CDC, most drownings of kids under 4 happen in backyard pools — and critically, many don’t happen during family swim time. They happen when a child accesses the pool unsupervised, often in just a few minutes.
A four-sided fence that fully separates the pool from the house and yard — at least 4 feet high, with a self-closing, self-latching gate out of children’s reach — is one of the most evidence-based interventions available. According to the CDC, a four-sided isolation fence that fully separates the pool from the house reduces a child’s drowning risk by 83% compared to three-sided fencing. Door and window alarms that alert you if someone enters the pool area add another layer. Door and window alarms that alert you if someone enters the pool area add another layer.
4. Skip the floaties — use a life jacket
“Floaties,” arm bands, and water wings are not safety devices. The CDC is explicit about this: inflatable toys can slip off, they’re not Coast Guard-approved, and they can create a false sense of security for both parents and kids.
For young swimmers or children in open water, a properly fitted US Coast Guard-approved life jacket is the right call. This matters especially at lakes, rivers, and beaches, where currents, waves, and depth add risk that a pool doesn’t have.
5. Learn CPR
If a child is pulled from the water, every second before emergency services arrive matters. The American Red Cross and American Heart Association both offer CPR certification courses in-person and online. Knowing infant and child CPR is one of the most practical safety steps a parent can take — not just for drowning, but for any emergency.
A note on open water: Public pools and your backyard are where most parents focus their attention — but the beach, lake, or river deserve the same vigilance. Drowning risk increases significantly in natural water, where currents, cold temperatures, and limited visibility change the equation. Always swim in areas with lifeguards when possible, stay in designated swimming zones, and make life jackets standard for young kids anytime you’re on or near open water.
A version of this post was originally published June 12, 2018.
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