Is water safety on your holiday to-do list? It should be!

As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of decorating, cooking, and holiday parties with friends and family. But amidst the festive hustle and bustle, there’s one thing that often gets overlooked: water safety. Whether you’re hosting at home or traveling to visit family and friends, it’s crucial to have a solid water safety strategy in place—especially if there’s a pool, pond, or other body of water nearby. 

Why Water Safety Is Essential During the Holidays
The statistics are sobering: 70% of child drownings occur during non-swim times, often in residential settings like a family member’s or friend’s home. Even more concerning, many of these drownings happen when at least one adult is present. Why? Because often times there is an assumption that if everyone is watching, kids are safe. But the reality is that if everyone is watching, no one is watching. 

Drowning prevention isn’t just for summer. During the holidays, when kids are out of routine, in new environments, and adults are distracted by festivities, the risk increases. Thankfully, with preparation and awareness, you can enjoy your celebrations while keeping your family safe.

Planning Ahead: A Key Step in Drowning Prevention
If your holiday plans include visiting someone else’s home, start your water safety preparations before you even arrive.

1. Ask About Water Features in Advance
   Call ahead to find out if there are any water features, such as pools, ponds, or hot tubs, either on the property or nearby. This should include neighbors’ homes too. A simple conversation like this can help you identify potential risks:

   “Hi! We’re so excited to visit for the holidays and bring our famous pumpkin pie. I wanted to check if there are any pools, ponds, or other water features we should be aware of, as our kids are still learning water safety.”

   Knowing what to expect allows you to plan accordingly, whether that means assigning supervision, setting clear rules, and talking to your kids about the dangers before you even arrive.

2. Check Barriers Upon Arrival
   When you arrive, take a moment to physically inspect any water features. Are pool fences in place and secured? Are gates self-latching and in good working condition? If there’s no fencing, make note of the closest doors or pathways leading to the water and ensure they’re locked or monitored at all times.

Talk to Your Kids About Water Safety
One of the most effective layers of drowning prevention is educating your children about water safety. Before your trip, reinforce simple rules:

• Always ask permission from an adult before playing near or in any water.

• Never go in or near water without an adult.

When you arrive, reiterate these rules and explain what they mean in this new environment. Point out the pool or pond and make clear that they’re off-limits without you or another supervising adult.

The Power of a Water Watcher
It’s easy to assume that kids are safe when lots of adults are around. After all, more eyes mean more safety, right? Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Most drownings happen during gatherings where plenty of adults are present, but no one is specifically assigned to watch the water.

The solution is simple but effective: designate a dedicated water watcher. This person’s only job is to keep an eye on the kids around the water—no phones, no chatting, no multitasking. To keep things manageable, rotate the role every 15–30 minutes so no one gets tired or distracted. When it’s time to switch, make sure there’s a clear verbal handoff, like:

“I’m handing off water-watching duty to you now.”
“Got it. I’m the water watcher now.”

This ensures everyone knows exactly who’s responsible at any given moment.

Remember, when “everyone” is watching, it usually means no one is watching. Assigning a water watcher guarantees someone is fully focused on keeping the kids safe, and that’s what matters most.

Real-Life Example: A Holiday Gathering Success Story
Let me share a quick story. Our family recently attended a baby shower at an Airbnb with a pool. When we arrived, we checked the area and the pool had no fence, multiple doors leading to the pool area, a crowd of adults, and lots of kids with varying swimming skills—a water safety nightmare waiting to happen.

Instead of panicking, we implemented a simple strategy: my father-in-law and I alternated as water watchers throughout the event for my toddler, who loves the water but is still learning to swim. While everyone else enjoyed the party, we took turns keeping our eyes on my toddler and the pool. The result? A stress-free gathering with zero safety incidents.

This might sound extreme, but consider this: drowning can happen in as little as 20–60 seconds, and it’s completely silent. That small effort we made could have saved a life. And it gave us introverts a brief, needed break from the party! 

Practical Holiday Water Safety Tips
To ensure a safe and happy holiday season, you can incorporate these additional strategies:

1. Set Clear Rules for Water Safety
   Talk to your kids about water safety. Don’t know how? Here’s a blog post on how to talk to your kids about water safety. Ultimately, you should establish and communicate clear water safety rules with your kids and any other families attending the gathering. For example:

• Always ask permission before playing near or in water 

• Never get in or play near water without an adult 

2. Use Multiple Barriers to Limit Water Access
   If you’re hosting, ensure that any pools, hot tubs, or other water features are properly secured with self-latching fences, secured covers, or alarms. If you’re visiting, know the access points to water and ensure doors or gates leading to water remain locked at all times. If you can’t ensure the doors or gates remain locked, or there are no physical barriers limiting access, you need to have a responsible adult as a dedicated water watcher for each child that is not swim safe. 

3. Supervise Closely and Consistently
   If your child is near water, your focused attention should be too. Put your phone down, avoid distractions, and focus on supervising your little ones. If you need to step away, make sure another adult takes over.

4. Learn CPR
   Emergencies can happen despite your best efforts. Being prepared with CPR skills can make a critical difference in the event of an accident. Consider getting CPR certified through the American Red Cross if you plan to be around kids and water this holiday season. 

5. Enroll in Swim Lessons Early
   While this step might not apply immediately during the holidays, swim lessons are one of the best investments you can make in drowning prevention. Swim lessons teach children essential water skills and confidence, reducing their risk of drowning over time. If your child isn’t enrolled in lessons yet, consider starting them after the holidays. The earlier they learn, the safer they’ll be. In the meantime, you can start water safety activities with toddlers today at home. 

Keep the Holidays Joyful with a Water Safety Strategy
It’s easy to get swept up in holiday cheer and let your guard down, but drowning prevention needs to stay top of mind. Taking these steps may feel like extra effort during a busy season, but the peace of mind is well worth it.

By being proactive, staying vigilant, and ensuring every adult understands their role in water safety, you can create a safe environment for your children while still enjoying the holidays.

Remember: drowning is preventable, but it requires preparation, awareness, and consistent action. Make water safety part of your holiday to-do list—it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your family.