TOYS can be a fun addition to the swimming pool but may put your child at risk, swim instructors warn.
Noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can all pose a danger of falling in, experts at Aquabliss swim schools said.
GettyNoodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can all pose a danger to your child if left in the pool, swim instructors warn[/caption]
The toys may not be age-appropriate and can lead to your kid trying to reach for them from the pool’s edge.
An Auqabliss spokesperson said: “Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool.
“Children may try to grab these from the pool’s edge and fall in.
“We urge you to pack toys far away from the pool, check for any leakages and make sure they’re appropriate for your child’s weight and age.”
Child drownings surged 85 per cent to 37 in 2021 to 2022, shocking data from the National Child Mortality Database showed earlier this month.
Parents were urged to speak to their kids about water safety, with Royal Life Saving Society UK researchers raising concerns about the “alarming increase”.
Experts at Aquabliss warned the dangers of pool toys lying around the edge of the pool “can be just as attractive to kids in the colder months” as in summer.
They said that while pool gates can help prevent children accessing them, they are not a full-proof defence.
Some toys should be “avoided completely”, they said, including mermaid tails.
Father Adam Linsberg issued a stark warning to other parents after his daughter Annabelle, five, ended up in hospital for two days after using the toy.
She ended up under the water in an inflatable pool for “about 30 seconds” after her hands got stuck in the costume, he said.
Her sister pulled her out of the pool but when Adam reached her, her eyes were wide open and she was non-responsive.
Thankfully, she came to after he slapped her back but she was taken to an ICU for two days in case there were any delayed reactions of getting water or chlorine in her lungs.