What is the Best Age for My Baby to Start Swimming in an Above Ground Pool?

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Pool Safety

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May 25, 2022

Introduction

This question is a common one, and it’s easy to understand why. Above ground pools are typically much less expensive than in-ground pools, yet they can still be quite large and deep. So when do you start introducing your baby to the pool? When is the best time for them to learn how to swim? In this article, we’ll take a look at what age is appropriate for your baby to begin swimming lessons in an above ground pool.

In general, there’s no magic age at which your baby is ready to start swimming in an above ground pool. The best age will depend on your child’s physical development, as well as how comfortable they are spending extended amounts of time underwater. If you’re worried about them drowning, it’s worth remembering that babies have always been able to get into trouble regardless of whether or not there was water around them!

While it is true that some children may be more naturally buoyant than others, and thus able to stay afloat easily even when fully submerged (or perhaps even just under the surface), this does not mean that all babies will automatically swim when given access to a pool.

In fact, many toddlers can be quite scared of water until they’ve had plenty of practice and experience in it—and plenty of reassurance from you!

Best age for a baby to start swimming

So we have established that there is not a perfect age for your baby to experience or start swimming in an above ground pool.

It is more of a guideline.

So many experts believe it is best to start “baby floating” at around 6 months.

For others, it is a question of maturity and understanding. For example, many parents start taking their babies to swimming lessons from age one. Others first want babies to be potty-trained before they start swimming.

Our two cents are, regardless the age of your child.

They need to learn to swim as soon as possible.

Drowning is a real tragedy. No parent ever wants to think about it.

However, drowning is also a reality and if you are going to invest in an above ground pool (which is a safer option for kids as we discussed in this article) you should ensure your child can swim, or have a flotation device and is always supervised.

This leads us to an important consideration. What is the expectation of your baby swimming in an above ground pool, vs their experience?

“Expectation over Experience”

In other words, what we expect to happen is often different from what actually happens. For example, if you have a healthy baby and bring him or her to the pool, he or she may not like the water at first. Or maybe he or she will love it right away! Either way, there are benefits and risks associated with swimming at any age.

Alternatives to Swimming: If you don’t feel comfortable putting your child in an above ground pool yet (or ever), then there are plenty of alternatives that can help your child gain some experience with water while staying safe:
Water play activities (wading pools) – Bathtub fun – Wading in streams/lakes/ponds

Above Ground Pool risk you need to be aware of…

We have written a few articles on the topic of above ground pool safety. And below this one we listed them all. That said, even if we covered this in another article already, it remains exceptionally important to know the risks of your babies and children when investing in an above ground pool.

The risk of drowning. If you have an above ground pool and your little one is still learning how to swim, it’s important that they don’t go into the deep end alone. Never leave any child unattended in a swimming pool. If a child falls in and cannot swim, they will drown within minutes if no one is there to help them out or call for emergency assistance right away.
The risk of falling in. This is especially true if your child has just started walking or running around outside the house as well! Thankfully with most above ground steel or aluminum framed pools, elevated from the ground, it minimizes the risk of just falling in.
The risk of getting stuck in the pool if there isn’t enough depth for them to stand up anymore (which can happen easily).
The risk of getting sunburned because most above ground pools aren’t very large so even though the surface area may seem big enough for multiple people at once, having more than two kids playing together might mean that everyone gets too close together which would cause someone else’s skin burn faster than usual… not good!

A Baby Above Ground Swimming Pool is the best option.

If you’re looking for a swimming pool for your baby, there are many things to consider. Here’s what we think is important:

Safety of the Baby: The first thing on our list is safety. As a parent, you want to keep your child safe while they play in the water. A baby above ground swimming pool provides a safe and secure place for them to splash around without worry. It also has plenty of room at their height so that they can have fun without getting stuck under the water or bumping into anything while playing with friends or family members nearby.
Price: Price is another important factor when deciding which type of pool would be best suited for your needs as an owner/operator (or landlord). An above ground model will cost less than an inground option because it requires no digging up earth nor does it require any special equipment such as pumps/filters etc… You’ll also save money on maintenance costs over time because there aren’t any chemicals needed either!
Size Matters – What Size Pool Do You Need?: Everyone wants “bigger” things; bigger houses, bigger cars etc… but what about those who buy smaller items such as homes? While these homes may not seem like much compared with others out there today since they’re smaller than average size homes today–they can still give buyers everything they need while still being affordable enough so that they don’t break their bank accounts every month when paying monthly payments on loans taken out during construction time (if applicable). These pools were on special at Amazon at time of writing this article

It all comes down to how aware you are that there is a risk and how much you are willing to take it.

If you’re going to be careful with your child in the pool, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t start swimming at any age.

However, if you want to keep your children’s safety foremost in your mind and you aren’t willing to take the risk of them drowning despite all the precautions that have been taken, then perhaps waiting until they’re older would be best.

It’s up to each parent individually what risks they are willing to take for their kids’ safety in order for their kids’ health and happiness.

Conclusion

Not only does swimming have a host of health benefits for your little ones, it also encourages them to be active and fit. Swimming is a great way for children to stay cool in the summer heat and can help them develop physical strength, muscle tone, coordination and balance. Whatever your reason for wanting your baby to start swimming at an early age, you want to make sure they are safe and having fun while in the water!