Bathtub & Bath Time Safety Checklist

For parents and caregivers of babies and toddlers — post it on the bathroom wall

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

Fill in the shaded section, then tape this checklist where you bathe your child.

Keep This Information Handy

Child's name(s):

Child's age(s):

Pediatrician phone:

Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

Home address (for 911):

Allergies/medical:

Water heater set to (max 120°F):

Emergency: dial 911

Gather everything first — towel, washcloth, soap, clean diaper, and clothes within arm's reach. If supplies are ready, you never have to leave your child to fetch them.
Fill the tub only 2–4 inches for a baby or toddler — enough to wash, never more. A child can drown in just 1–2 inches of water.
Test the water temperature — aim for about 100°F (warm, not hot). Swirl the water and test with your wrist or elbow to avoid hot spots.
Set your water heater to 120°F or lower — this helps prevent accidental scald burns from a tap that gets bumped on.
Use a non-slip bath mat inside the tub and on the floor — falls and slips are common during bath time.
Silence your phone and ignore the door — decide before the bath that calls, texts, and the doorbell all wait until your child is out and dry.

Stay within arm's reach at all times — "touch supervision" means close enough to grab your child instantly. Watching from the doorway is not enough.
Keep one hand on your baby if they cannot sit up steadily on their own. Constant contact is the safest position for infants.
A bath seat or bath ring is NOT a safety device — it can tip over or a child can slip out and become trapped underwater. It does not replace your hands or your eyes.
Never leave the room, not even "just for a second" — most bathtub drownings happen during a brief lapse in supervision averaging only a few minutes.
Do not rely on an older sibling to supervise — only a responsible adult can supervise a baby or toddler in the bath.
Remember that drowning is silent — there is no splashing or crying out. A child can slip under without a sound, which is why your eyes must stay on them.

Take the child with you — every time. Wrap your baby or toddler in a towel and bring them along. There is no errand worth leaving them alone in water.
Never prop the child up and "be right back." If the phone, door, or another child needs you, the bathing child comes too.

Drain the tub completely and immediately — never leave standing water in a tub a child can reach.
Store the tub empty and upright — empty baby tubs, buckets, and basins right away. A curious toddler can topple headfirst into even a small amount of water.
Close the bathroom door and latch the toilet lid — use a toilet lock and keep the bathroom door shut so it is not an accessible water hazard between baths.
Empty mop buckets and cleaning pails — never leave them filled and unattended where a young child can reach them.

Get the child out and call 911 immediately — have your home address posted at the top of this sheet so anyone can read it to the dispatcher.
Start CPR if the child is not breathing — if you know infant/child CPR, begin right away. If not, the 911 dispatcher will talk you through it. Do not stop until help arrives.
Learn infant and child CPR before you need it — the American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer classes. It is the most valuable bath time skill a parent can have.