← Back to full guide | Tip: run the host questions when you RSVP, then hand the drop-off card over with the towel

Pool Playdate Safety Checklist

For when your child swims at someone else's house. Most child drownings happen with adults present — because "adults nearby" isn't the same as an adult watching. Two minutes with this page closes the gap.

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

💬 Before You Say Yes — Ask the Host

  • "Who's watching the water?" A specific, phone-free adult should be the designated Water Watcher whenever kids are in the pool — not "we'll all be out there."
  • "Is the pool fenced, and does the gate latch itself?" A self-closing, self-latching gate keeps a child who got out from slipping back in alone.
  • "How many kids swimming, how many adults watching?" More kids means shorter watch shifts and more eyes — ask how they'll split it.
  • "Do you have life jackets, or should I send one?" Only a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that fits by weight counts — floaties and noodles are toys.
  • Offer to help: "Want me to stay and take a Water Watcher shift?" turns an awkward question into a gift.

🧳 Rules That Travel With Your Child

  • Ask first. Never get in the water — any water, any house — without asking an adult first.
  • Never swim alone, even for "one quick jump" while everyone else is inside.
  • Feet-first in an unfamiliar pool. Depth is a guess until you know it — no headfirst diving.
  • No breath-holding games or "who can stay under longest" — ever.
  • Out means out. When the adults say swimming is done, everyone is out and stays out.
  • If a friend is in trouble: reach or throw, don't go. Hand or toss something that floats, yell for an adult — never jump in after them.

🏊 Tell the Host the Truth About Your Swimmer

  • Say the real swim level out loud at drop-off. Kids overstate their ability in front of friends — the host will otherwise judge by confidence, not competence.
  • Name the boundary: "shallow half only," "can't touch in the deep end," or "life jacket unless an adult is in the water with her."
  • Confirm the emergency basics: who calls 911, and that the host knows their own address is posted or known to sitters and older kids.

Drop-Off Card — Fill In & Hand to the Host

Child's name: ____________________
Parent cell: ______________________
Backup contact: __________________
Pickup time: _____________________
Allergies / medical notes: _________
Life jacket required?  YES / NO
My child's real swim level (circle one):  Non-swimmer  ·  Beginner (shallow only)  ·  Can float & tread  ·  Can swim 25 yds & exit

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

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

Back to the full guide · Water Watcher card · Pool party host checklist

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The Safety Layer That Goes to Every Playdate

Host questions and travel rules buy time — real swimming skill is what protects your child at every pool they'll ever be invited to, including the ones you never see. If the honest swim-level handoff revealed gaps, that's the cue: survival-first swim lessons are associated with an 88% lower drowning risk for young children. Find a safety-first program near you.

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