Ok, so I have a little niggling fear that chews at me every once in a while. Particularly around the summer months when we’re outside so much. I live near the lake and I am afraid my children could get out, head to the lake, and drown before I even realize they’re interested in going outside. So, to help me prepare them for this potential life-threatening situation, we’ve already started talking to them–even though they’re really small. These are the 4 Safety Tips to Keep Kids Safe From Drowning that we’re using to teach them (even as toddlers) to stay safe around water. 
4 Safety Tips to Keep Kids Safe From Drowning
Our whole plan for water safety is centered around teaching our kids early, well and using the ABC&D’s of water safety from the ZAC Foundation as our guide. The ZAC Foundation wants to ensure that children and their parents know how to be safer around water through education and advocacy programs. The ZAC Foundation provides a wealth of water safety tips, resources and programming (ZAC Camps) for parents and children of all ages (birth to teenagers). The Foundation targets children ages 5-9 with most of their safety programming.The ABC&D’s are simple:
- ADULT: Never let children be alone near or in a pool, ocean, lake, or river. Children should be taught to never swim without an adult present.
- BARRIER: Have a four-sided fence that goes around your pool with a self-locking gate.
- CLASSES: Kids and adults should take safety classes like swim lessons and CPR.
- DRAINS: ALL swimmers should stay away from all pool and spa drains to avoid becoming trapped by the suction.
Being at the lake, the best we can do is a self-locking gate on our deck. So, check for that one. We’re signing the kids up for classes this summer, And we’re keeping our eyes out for dangerous drains when we go out with the kids. Our biggest push, though is educating our kids to stay with an adult. 
How We’re Talking to Our Kids About Water-Safety
First, we’re reading The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim with our kids, about once a week (less often than Cat in the Hat, but more often than 20,000 leagues, heh). This is a great book to introduce water safety to kiddos which was written by ZAC Foundation co-founders Karen and Brian Cohn. It’s the story of a young polar bear that is afraid to swim, but then, after a little journey, finds that if he follows the ABC and D’s of water safety, he can face his fears and really enjoy swimming. And, we’re informing ourselves, as parents, by doing things like watching the ZAC Foundation’s drain entrapment video. Then, we can talk about why we don’t play near drains AND dad and I can make changes if we see a dangerous situation.
A Summer Safety Giveaway from ZAC Foundation!
There are 15 Summer Fun Kits (ARV $50) provided by The ZAC Foundation. So, enter to win between Monday, May 16 at 9pm PT and Monday, June 13 at 9pm PT. Winners will be randomly selected and notified by Clever Girls and/or The ZAC Foundation by June 20. 
Do you have anything to add? Will you be teaching your kids anything else to help keep them safe from drowning? Let me know by dropping a comment–and don’t forget to enter the contest!
And be sure to check out all the safety tips you could ever imagine on Bonbon Break!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.