Before you know it, the warm weather will be upon us once again. Swimming is one of the best and most popular activities that kids crave all summer long. But, before you take the pool cover off, or let your kids go to local pools, know your water safety so you can pass it along to your kids.

Here are some water safety tips to keep in mind before your kids ever hit the water.

Start Early

It  is  never too early to teach your child to swim. Classes for children as young as a few months old are available. Getting your children use to water with swim lessons is the best way to help them over any fear they may have.

Swimming is a skill they will have for life. Nothing is more fun than participating in swim races or in learning new swimming skills. Instructors will be instilling all of the swim safety your kids need, too. They will learn to respect the water, and have the best time swimming.

You Be The Lifeguard

Don’t rely on someone else to watch your children in the water. It’s your responsibility anyway as a good parent. It’s nice that the lifeguard is on duty, but that should be your secondary backup plan.

If your children are very young, they should never be in the water without you, and never more than arm’s length away. You are their lifesaver!

Create Pool Rules

Have some pool rules in place that ensure safety for kids. Rules such as no running, no friends in your pool unless their parents are there too, and no alcohol in your backyard should be rules that your children know all about. Everyone needs to follow your pool safety rules, too, to the max. If not, the pool fun stops immediately.

Always Ensure a Fun Day at the Pool

On those warm, sunny days getting sunburned is a real possibility. Have a plan in place for sun safety for kids. Never let them go swimming without sunscreen protection. Always follow the buddy system, so they are never swimming alone.

Consider different life jackets for your little ones, too. Use arm ‘floaties’ alongside adult supervision, when your little ones are just getting used to the water, and use reputable life jackets for deep water swimming.

Always remember, you are in charge. If something seems unsafe, it probably is, so know your water safety before swim season starts.