← Back to full guide | Tip: fill in the family plan and post it in the garage or on the fridge before you close the pool

Pool Closing Safety Checklist

A closed pool is not a safe pool. Off-season supervision drops, loose covers hide the water instead of blocking it, and rain collects on top. This one-page plan keeps a closed pool safe until you open it again.

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

🛡️ Cover the Pool the Right Way

  • Use an anchored safety cover that stretches taut across the pool and meets the ASTM F1346 standard — the only cover that counts as a barrier.
  • Know that a floating/tarp winter cover is NOT a barrier. It keeps debris out but a child or pet can slip underneath and be trapped.
  • Pump off standing water promptly. A few inches of rain or snowmelt on a cover can drown a small child — and hide them from view.
  • Never let kids walk or play on a pool cover of any kind, and check anchors and straps stay tight all winter.

🔒 Keep Every Barrier Active Off-Season

  • Leave the four-sided isolation fence up — do not take it down for the winter.
  • Keep the gate self-closing and self-latching, and test that it latches every time.
  • Keep door and gate alarms powered. Swap in fresh batteries so cold weather doesn't silence them.
  • Walk the perimeter for gaps, wobbly panels, or anything a determined toddler could climb.

🪜 Above-Ground & Portable Pools

  • Remove or lock the ladder and steps on above-ground pools so the water cannot be reached.
  • Empty and drain kiddie and inflatable pools completely, then store them upside down or deflated.
  • Don't let a stored pool refill with rainwater — a forgotten kiddie pool is a hidden hazard of its own.
  • Keep supervising. Closed does not mean unwatched — a water watcher still matters near any pool area.

Our Off-Season Pool Plan — Fill In & Post It

Date pool closed: _________________
Cover type (safety / winter): _______
Fence & gate checked on: __________
Alarm batteries changed on: _______
Who pumps water off the cover: _____
Emergency number: 9-1-1
Winter swim plan (circle one):  Weekly indoor lessons  ·  Monthly open swim  ·  Booking a program  ·  Free trial lesson

Created by WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

Sources: CDC, U.S. CPSC (Pool Safely), American Academy of Pediatrics, National Drowning Prevention Alliance. This checklist is educational and does not replace active supervision or certified CPR/first-aid training.

Back to the full guide · Pool fence & gate checklist · Family pool safety checklist

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The Pool Closed — Keep the Skills Going

Water risk doesn't close for the winter. The most protective move once the backyard pool goes under wraps is uninterrupted, year-round swim lessons at an indoor pool — so skills keep building instead of fading by spring. Find a safety-first, warm-water program near you.

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