I’m a swimming expert – here are four ways to keep your kids safe at waterparks this summer
A SWIMMING expert has revealed their best tips for keeping children safe at waterparks this summer.
While a day out at a waterpark can be a lot of fun, there are also plenty of risks for youngsters if they aren’t careful.
Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, revealed four essential pieces of safety advice to ensure families can enjoy waterparks safely this summer.
Follow your child’s lead
Firstly, letting young children explore the water at their own speed is the best way to get them used to it.
Forcing them into it can frighten them and ensure they have a bad time.
Ali told Attraction Tickets“Waterparks are fantastic places for introducing children to water especially if they have beach access, as this allows children to enter the water at their own pace and to the depth they feel most comfortable with.
“The best form of introduction to water is child-led, allowing the child to play with the water and pour it onto their body when ready.
“Sitting in shallow water allows children to explore, and also gives them the opportunity to turn onto their tummy and crawl through the water if they are confident.”
Ali recommends looking out for features like Coco Beach at Siam Park, where children can take to the water at their own pace.
Accompany your child on the waterslides – so you can all have fun together
Waterslides can be great fun, but Ali advises doing some research before heading to the waterpark, as some rides and slides have height restrictions.
She also tells parents to accompany children every step of the way as they play on waterslides for the first time.
Ali continued: “Make sure there are two adults – one to remain with the child at the top of the slide and the second to be waiting at the bottom.
“Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult.”
Use toys to help children learn
Many parks including Island H2O Waterpark in Orlando have slides and areas designed for younger children to enjoy safely.
This is great for allowing them to build their confidence in the water before moving onto bigger rides.
However, using toys is also a great way to teach youngsters about water safety, and exploring underwater.
Ali said: “Children learn through play and they gain confidence the more time they spend around water.
“You can also use appropriate water toys to allow the child to play with.
“Sinking objects are fun as long as the child leads their exploration under water – never force them to submerge to find a sinking toy.”
Always stay alert
The main thing to remember is never to take your eyes of your children, no matter how strong a swimmer they are.
This also goes for areas that are designed for younger park-goers such as the The Lost City area at Siam Park.
Lots of slides, towers, bridges, nets and cascades can prove a lot of fun, but can also be overwhelming for young ones.
Ali adds: “Waterparks are often very busy places and it’s easy to lose sight of a child in a split second.
“Wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently.
“These environments can get busy, splashy and can become quite overwhelming, knocking the most confident of swimmers off their feet and under the water.
“Most pools have a baby/toddler pool which is often a little warmer and quieter, which is a great place to start.”
Meanwhile, this new £250million waterpark is coming to the UK.
And these are the best water parks in the UK you can visit.