Keep your family safe around water with expert swimming safety tips, drowning prevention advice, life jacket guidance, pool safety, and sun protection.
Reviewed July 2, 2026
Contributed by: Elizabeth Krupa, MD | Pediatrics
Safe Swimming Tips for Kids and Families: Essential Water Safety Guide
As temperatures rise and swim season kicks off, families naturally flock to pools, streams, lakes, and beaches, especially in the Cleveland Metroparks. Water play can be one of the best parts of summer — but it also comes with risks. That’s why it is important that you play it safe when it comes to water.
“Water is incredibly attractive to children, especially toddlers,” said Elizabeth Krupa, MD, a pediatrician at MetroHealth Ohio City Health Center. “Children love to explore. Constant supervision around water is non-negotiable.”
How to Keep Your Family Safe Around Water this Summer
Be especially alert when…
- Kids are near home pools — even if they’re not supposed to be swimming
- Exploring parks, trails, or anywhere with ponds or rivers
- Older kids are swimming in lakes or oceans with unpredictable currents
The Swiss Cheese Model: Layers of Protection
Water safety isn’t just one action — it’s a system of precautions. Experts call it the “Swiss cheese model;” no layer is perfect, but together they make swimming safer.
1. Constant Watching
- Assign a designated water watcher during swim time — no phones, no alcohol.
- Take turns with other adults so everyone stays alert.
2. Swimming Skills
- Kids can start swimming lessons as early as age 1. Look for courses through the local American Red Cross or your local public swimming pool.
- Even if your child can swim, it’s still important to watch them.
3. Life Jackets
- Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets on boats or in open water.
- Floaties are not a substitute for a life jacket or swimming ability.
4. Avoid Blue Swimsuits
- It’s hard to see a child under the surface if they’re wearing a blue swimsuit.
- Choose bright colors (like neon orange or pink) that are easy to see underwater.
5. Secure Your Environment with Home Pools
- Pool fences should be 4 feet tall, not climbable, and enclose all sides.
- Gates should swing outward, making them harder for toddlers to push open.
- Remove toys, ladders, or anything that invites climbing or jumping over fences.
- Install pool surface alarms and door/window alarms for added protection.
For Tweens and Teens: Independence Comes with Guidelines
Older kids may feel more confident around water, but they still need clear boundaries:
- Always swim with a buddy—never alone.
- Choose safe, designated swimming areas.
- Don’t swim after dark or after drinking alcohol.
- Watch for chilly water or changing temperatures, especially in lakes or oceans.
Sun Safety: Don’t Forget the Rays
Water safety also means protecting your child (and yourself) from harmful sun exposure.
- Wear UV-protective clothing and wide-brimmed hats.
- No direct sun exposure for infants.
- Apply sunscreen to children nine months and older.
- Staying in shade or indoors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
- Applying broad-spectrum SPF 30+ or higher sunscreen every 2 hours (or right after swimming).
- Remember: melanin-rich skin still needs sun protection.
Wellness is something we work on our whole lives. Feeling well depends on the choices you make every day—at home, at work, and in your community—not just the decisions you make with your doctor. Health literacy means being able to find, understand, and use health information to make good choices for yourself. It helps make sure everyone has what they need to live their healthiest life.
But with so much information out there, it can be hard to know what’s true and what matters most. So how do you make sense of it all?
Want to Learn More?
Visit the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org for trusted, parent-friendly advice on swimming, sun safety, child development, and more.
Ask an Expert
Ask your MetroHealth doctor for swimming and sun safety advice at your next appointment. To make an appointment, visit metrohealth.org/appointments or call 216-778-2222.
Your Questions Answered
Q: What are the most important swimming safety rules for children?
A. Children should always be supervised by a designated adult when near water. Swimming lessons, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, and secure pool barriers add important layers of protection to help prevent drowning.
Q: At what age should children start swimming lessons?
A. Experts recommend that children can begin swimming lessons as early as age 1. While swimming skills improve safety, parents should continue to closely supervise children around water regardless of their swimming ability.
Q: How can families make pools and open water safer?
A. Use four-foot pool fencing with self-closing gates, remove climbing hazards, and install pool alarms when possible. In lakes, rivers, and beaches, swimmers should stay in designated areas, wear life jackets when appropriate, and never swim alone.
A Message from MetroHealth's Trauma Center
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 4 in the United States.
- Drowning can happen very quickly—sometimes in just seconds.
- It is often silent. You may not hear yelling, splashing, or calls for help.
- Water dangers aren’t limited to swim time. Children can be at risk near ponds, lakes, rivers, and pools, even when they are not planning to swim.
- Small bodies of water, including kiddie pools and hot tubs, can be just as dangerous as larger pools.
- Always keep a close eye on children around water, and empty kiddie pools after each use.
