Infant Water Safety Checklist

For parents and caregivers of babies in their first year — post it where you care for your baby

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

Fill in the shaded section, then tape this checklist near the bath and changing area.

Keep This Information Handy

Baby's name:

Baby's date of birth:

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. The most common reason parents step away is to grab a towel.
Fill the tub only 2–4 inches — a baby can drown in just 1–2 inches of water.
Keep one hand on your baby the entire time — "touch supervision." A baby who cannot sit up steadily needs constant contact.
Never leave the room, not even "just for a second" — take the baby with you, wrapped in a towel, if you must step away.
A bath seat or bath ring is NOT a safety device — it can tip over or a baby can slip out and be trapped underwater. It never replaces your hands.
Test the water and set your heater to 120°F or lower — aim for about 100°F (warm, not hot); swirl and test on your wrist to prevent scald burns.

Empty buckets, pails, and coolers immediately — a top-heavy baby can topple headfirst into a 5-gallon bucket and be unable to get out. Store them empty and upside down.
Close bathroom doors and latch toilet lids — use a toilet-lid lock so a curious baby can't lean in.
Move or empty pet water bowls — even a pet bowl holds enough water to be a hazard for a crawling baby.
Never leave a wading or kiddie pool filled — dump it and flip it after every use so rain can't refill it.
The golden rule: if it holds water and you're done with it, empty it now — every container, every time.

An adult stays in the water within arm's reach — every second the baby is in or near the water.
Name one phone-free Water Watcher — when several adults are present, assign one whose only job is the baby, and hand the role off out loud.
Floaties and inflatable seats are toys, not safety devices — they can deflate, tip, or slip off in an instant. They never replace an adult's hands.
Use a U.S. Coast Guard–approved infant life jacket near open water or on a boat — sized to your baby's weight — and still keep an adult within arm's reach.

No lesson makes a baby "drown-proof" — the AAP does not recommend formal survival swim lessons before age one.
Enjoy gentle water time with your baby — warm, playful, closely supervised parent-and-child water experiences build comfort and routine.
Plan for formal lessons after the first birthday — the AAP recommends starting swim lessons after age one, when babies become mobile and water access risk rises.

Get the baby 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 infant CPR if the baby is not breathing — if you know infant CPR, begin right away. If not, the 911 dispatcher will talk you through it. Do not stop until help arrives.
Learn infant CPR before you need it — the American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer classes. It is the most valuable skill a new parent can have.