Warm days in Melbourne bring backyard paddling pools, beach trips and splashing in the bath. Toddlers love water, but they are also curious, quick on their feet and unaware of danger. This guide to water safety for toddlers walks you through the four simple actions from Royal Life Saving’s Keep Watch program, so your family can enjoy summer with peace of mind.
Why toddlers need extra care around water
Children between about one and three years old are newly mobile and love to explore, but they don’t yet understand risk. Toddlers can drown quickly and silently, often in only a small amount of water. Bathtubs, buckets, pet bowls, ponds and inflatable pools can all be a hazard, not just swimming pools and the beach.
Royal Life Saving’s Keep Watch program is built around four actions: supervise, restrict, teach and respond. Together, they give your toddler layers of protection.
Supervise and restrict: water safety for toddlers at home
The first two Keep Watch actions are about keeping a close eye on your toddler and putting barriers between them and water.
1. Supervise: always within arm’s reach
Active supervision is the most important thing you can do. Royal Life Saving advises staying within arm’s reach of young children whenever they are in, on or near water, with your full attention on them. That means putting the phone down, not popping inside to grab something, and never leaving an older sibling in charge.
At gatherings, it can help to take turns as the “water watcher”, so one adult is always focused on the children.
2. Restrict: make water hard to get to
Barriers buy precious time if your toddler wanders off. Practical ways to restrict access to water include:
- Keeping pool and spa gates closed, and checking they self-close and self-latch.
- Never propping a pool gate open, and keeping climbable items such as chairs and pot plants away from the fence.
- Emptying paddling pools, buckets and baths straight after use.
- Keeping bathroom and laundry doors closed.
- Covering ponds, water features and water tanks, and keeping lids on nappy buckets.
- Creating a safe, fenced play area if you live near water that can’t be fenced, such as a dam.
In Victoria, pools and spas that can hold more than 30cm of water, including some relocatable pools, generally need a compliant safety barrier and registration with your local council. The Victorian Building Authority website explains what applies to your home.
Teach and respond: being prepared
3. Teach: build water awareness early
Toddlers can start learning about water in gentle, playful ways. Water familiarisation classes for young children help them get comfortable in the water, and simple family rules, such as “we only go near water with a grown-up”, can be repeated wherever you are.
Remember that lessons and swimming skills never replace supervision. Even a confident young swimmer still needs an adult within arm’s reach.
4. Respond: know what to do in an emergency
Learning resuscitation (CPR) is one of the best gifts you can give your family. Consider doing a course and refreshing your skills regularly, and make sure everyone in your home knows to call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. If your child goes missing, check any nearby water first. You can find more information, including a home pool safety checklist, on the Royal Life Saving website.
Summer fun, safely
Water play is a wonderful sensory experience for toddlers, and with the right precautions it can be a joyful part of summer. At Nest, our educators supervise children closely during play, and we include sunscreen and a summer hat to help keep little ones protected outdoors.
If you’re a Keysborough family looking for care for your toddler, we’d love to show you our Toddler room. Book a tour or chat with our team on 03 9969 7057.
