Water Safety for Babysitters

BabysitterAs a babysitter, you are responsible for the safety of the children you take care of. This may involve water safety when the home where you sit has a swimming pool or other body of water (e.g., a kiddie pool or a decorative pond) or your duties include bath time.

The information in this section is based on topics found in the Babysitting Center at KidsHealth.com. This is an excellent website to prepare you to be a really awesome babysitter!

Tips for Swimming Pool, Spa, and Pond Safety

Keep the following tips in mind when the family home has a swimming pool, a kiddie pool, a spa, or a pond.

  • When there are bodies of water on the property (e.g., pools, ponds, or even buckets or basins), know where the children are always.
  • Get enough rest before babysitting so you are wide awake during the entire time you are working. Also, do not allow yourself to be distracted by a TV show, texting, cooking, etc. Supervising the kids is your first priority.
  • Decorative ponds are not for swimming. Keep the kids away from ponds, fountains, etc.
  • Never take kids in a swimming pool or spa without permission from the parents. Do not include swimming as an activity if you are not a good swimmer yourself.
  • Follow the rules and limits for pool activities set by the parents.
  • Do not leave the kids in the pool unattended, not even for even a second. Children can drown quickly and silently.
  • When not in the pool, make sure all doors and gates leading to the pool are closed and secured.

You should apply several layers of safety and protection, not just 1. You never know which layer will do the trick and prevent access. Check out One Babysitter’s Pool Safely Video. To read more about layers of protection, go to Water Safety for Parents/Guardians.

Tips for Bath Time

If your duties as babysitter include giving the kids a bath, follow these tips:

  • Only give a baby or child a bath if the parents ask you to and you feel comfortable doing that.
  • If the family has a “baby tub,” use it to help you manage the bath.
  • Do not leave the child in the bathtub or baby tub unattended for even a second. A child can drown quickly and silently even in a few inches of water.
  • Test the water before helping the child in. The water should be warm, not hot.
  • Make sure that towels, soap, and bath supplies are close at hand, so you do not have to leave the bathroom once the child is in the tub.

Age-Appropriate Bathing

Children of different ages need different levels of attention and supervision while bathing.

Baby in bathFor infants, use only 2 or 3 inches of warm-not hot-water in the tub and stay within arm’s reach of the infant. Using a soft wash cloth, gently wash the infant’s face and head and use baby shampoo to wash the infant’s hair and scalp. When you rinse, place on hand against the infant’s forehead so the shampoo does not wash into the infant’s eyes. Using a small amount of a mild soap, wash the rest of the infant’s body, rinsing often to keep the infant warm. When the bath is done, wrap the infant immediately in a warm towel and cover the infant’s head. Dry and dress the infant right away.

For toddlers, draw the bath the same way, but be ready for more splashing and activity. Keep toddlers sitting within arm’s reach to keep the toddler from slipping in the tub. Washing a toddler is similar to washing an infant; make sure to wash hands, feet, and faces well. It may be possible to engage the child with floating toys and simple washing games. Toddlers can also get chilled and should be wrapped in a warm towel immediately after bathing, dried off quickly, and dressed.

For an older, school-age child, ask parents how they want to handle bath time. Depending on the child’s age and maturity level, he or she may not need supervision.

Alternatives to Tub Bathing

If the baby or child gets dirty and you do not have permission to bathe the baby or child, wipe the child with a clean, wet wash cloth and change the child’s clothes. If the child pees, poops, or throws up, consider giving the child a sponge bath before changing clothes.

More Information on Babysitting

The information on this page is based on articles found in the Babysitting Center on kidshealth.org. Check out Babysitting Center; it has lots of great tips to help you become an awesome babysitter!

Here are a few other babysitting links: