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Beach, Pool, and Boat Safety Tips for Toddlers and Young Kids
A trip to Siesta Key is synonymous with a trip to the water. From the hotel pool and white sand beaches to boats and kayaks, you are sure to find yourself dipping your toes, swimming, floating, and jumping waves. When planning your Siesta Key vacation with children, it is crucial to prepare your little ones before encountering unfamiliar waters. Whether this means packing pool floaties and rafts, ensuring their lifejackets properly fit, or enrolling them in swim class, your friends here at Best Western Siesta Key are sharing a few key reminders for keeping toddlers and small kids safe around the water.
Using Pool Rafts and Floaties
A go-to pool safety tactic for many parents is gearing up their young kids and toddlers with rafts and floaties. Inflatable rafts, swim rings, and swim canopies that toddlers lay on or sit in are designed for young children to relax and float around the pool under constant adult supervision. Arm floaties, back floaties, and swim vests allow for movement and support swim training. It’s important to note that while these flotation devices and swimming aids are perfectly suitable for children and toddlers in the pool when it comes to boating or navigating rougher waters like the ocean or bay, you will need to utilize a proper PFD or a lifejacket.
How to Choose the Proper Lifejacket
With so many types and sizes of PFDs and lifejackets on the market, how can you be sure which one is the most appropriate for your toddler? While swimming vests and lifejackets may serve a similar purpose, if you are boating or kayaking around Siesta Key, then a proper lifejacket for a toddler will have four distinct characteristics. Make sure your child’s lifejacket has a head pillow so they can float on their back, a strap between their legs so the vest does not come off over their head, a handle so you can pick them up out of the water, and bright-colored material so they can easily be seen in the water.
The most important thing you can do for your child’s safety is to purchase a PFD or lifejacket that properly fits them now. Some parents and guardians make the mistake of buying a lifejacket that is a little too big for their child in hopes they will get more use out of it. Unfortunately, doing so will put the child in serious danger in the event they find themselves swimming in the ocean or bay. One test that can help you determine if a lifejacket truly fits your toddler is lifting the vest up by its shoulders. If the vest comes up past your child’s chin or ears, then you can confidently conclude that it is too large and they need a smaller size.
What About Swim Lessons?
It is always a great idea to introduce your baby or toddler to the water in the most controlled environment with a swim teacher before your Siesta Key vacation. Swim lessons is where your baby or toddler will learn what the water is all about and how to navigate it safely calmly and, hopefully, without fear. Some toddlers even learn how to flip themselves over and float on their back or swim to the side of the pool without a lifejacket or pool floaties. If your child has never seen a pool, the beach, or the bay before, they may be a little curious, which can increase the chance of an accident. Nothing will bring you more peace of mind on your vacation than knowing your little one can float or swim, just in case.
Keeping Little Ones Close On Land
Making sure your kids are safe around the water also means keeping a close eye on them while they are on land. From running around the sandy beaches to chilling with you poolside, it is important to set some clear rules that they can easily follow; for instance, no running by the pool, staying close to you and other family members, and ensuring that someone is watching them at all times, especially near the water’s edge. If you have a young child that likes to wander, explore, or run, then perhaps a backpack leash is a good idea to ensure they remain at arm’s length. In addition, you will want to bring sand toys or something you know will keep them occupied and less likely to want to venture into the water. Luckily, beaches on Siesta Key typically experience a nice calm and gentle surf, making it easier for young children and toddlers to walk and splash in the shallow waves.
While we love and adore the beaches on Siesta Key, Sarasota Bay, and even the pool right here at Best Western Siesta Key, these can prove to be a bit dangerous for small kids and toddlers who are not yet strong swimmers. Adequately preparing them before your vacation and ensuring you have all the right equipment and flotation devices are keys to keeping your children safe around the water. Once you have confidence in your child and the safety measures you have taken, you are sure to have one of the best Florida getaways yet!