Summer’s here and kids in daycare are begging to play in water – ANY type of water – pools, sprinklers, slip and slides, etc. Having a swimming pool can be a huge liability for a daycare center and many daycare owners are unsure how to handle water play. For example, a daycare owner asks: “Does anyone have a swimming pool on their property while running a home daycare? How do you handle that? Do you allow daycare children to go in with a permission form from their parents or is the pool for personal family use only?”
We asked the fans of OwnADaycare on Facebook who are daycare owners for how they handle swimming pools and water play in their daycare. Here are some of the best responses:
- I get parents’ permission to use any type of water play. But I use sprinkler instead of pool because it gotten too much to handle from last year. I have also infants so that too much. What if one child slips and you holding the infant, you need two hands open at all times. I also have those BIG buckets and fill up with water and give the children cups, water shooters, etc. they have a blast!
- We have an in-ground pool. I used to use it with my daycare but the rules are very strict now that a child drowned in another daycare center here in my town so I have it locked and the state made me sign a statement that I would not use it for daycare. If you do use one you have to have a lifeguard on duty and you and your staff have to be certified in water safety and such.
- We don’t for insurance, health and safety reasons. I have water play with a water table and a sprinkler on some occasions. I bought small bins too and sometimes something as simple as adding a few drops of food color to their own water bin delights them! They love it!
- I have one also but only use it for personal use. Daycare kids are not allowed in pool. My rules is no kids unless there parents are going to swim. This way their parents are responsible for their own children! That even goes for the neighborhood kids that want to swim!
- We have a small wading pool that my boys use on the weekends, but during the week with my daycare kids, we only use a sprinkler to play in. Too much of a liability that I don’t feel comfortable with.
- I have an above ground pool with no deck access. Only a ladder that flips around backwards so no one can get in when I don’t want them to. I only allow the kids who are 6+ and can swim completely unassisted, as I do not get into the pool with them. I sit on the deck 3 feet away to supervise. Coincidentally these kids are all family friends in addition to daycare so there is a different level of expectation from the parents. For the other children I use large toy tubs filled with water, and they can splash themselves to stay cool. I will set my hose on mist and attach it to the fence for the kids to cool themselves off when they want to. I do not leave the sprinkler on as it wastes a ton of water.
- It’s a huge liability. We have one but our insurance went crazy high if we use it for the daycare. The state requires a life guard to be present and records of the water chemical levels. Plus a permission form. The pool has a 6 ft. gate around it. I would suggest a water hose, slip n slide, sprinklers etc. Unless u really think it will be a selling point and worth the extra money spent.
- Here in Maine you have to have a certified life guard on duty to be able to use a pool. I have a pool, but I do not allow my daycare kiddos in it. The state has gotten very strict since a 3 year child drowned because of neglect at a center here in Maine. I have 2 water tables, and we use a sprinkler. I also have the parents sign permission to be around any type of water play.
- I just purchased a 12 ft. pool, and I also purchased the kids a little small pool with a water slide & a Volcano sprayer. They also have a sprinkler. I also watch Family/ Friends children. Once they are out of my care, if the parents allow them to, they can get in the larger pool.
- Our policies to have a swimming pool have made it impossible to do so during daycare. We use sprinklers. I bought a gigantic beach ball sprinkler that the kids love running through.
- Way to liability here in WI too! Even your wading pool must be emptied every day! Last I knew, you had to have a “life guard” on duty if you did have a pool! We had an above ground, and it had to be gated or have a 3 way barrier, and only our family used it!!
- My state requires a permission form for pool use and dangers and diseases that children can be exposed to with pool use as well. I have a small kiddie pool that I use. I only use out once a week or so as I’m required to clean and sanitize the pool and toys after each use. Most days sprinklers and squirt guns do the trick.
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