Summer is in full swing, and that means it’s time for pool parties and endless hours of fun in the sun!

As parents, it’s our responsibility to ensure the safety of our swimmers while they enjoy the water. At Goldfish, we have our specially trained lifeguards on deck at all times, scanning the pool every 10 seconds to not only respond to issues, but also to help prevent them before they happen! With International Lifeguard Appreciation Day coming up quickly on July 31st, we want to encourage all parents to Think Like a Lifeguard – to help keep their kiddos safe and swimming, all year round!

Get ready to dive in as we explore essential water safety tips and exciting pool games to make your family pool parties unforgettable! Here are some ways you can Think Like a Lifeguard and create a fun and safe environment for your kiddos!

Prioritize Water Safety: Before jumping into the pool party fun, it’s important to have a conversation with your kiddos about water safety.

Make sure to set some ground rules with other adults and your kiddos before going outside so they know how to keep safe while having fun! Some golden rules include no running on the pool deck, wearing your life jacket around the water (even when you’re not swimming!) and no swimming without an adult present and closely watching them.

Remember to dress your kiddos in bright-colored swimsuits so they stand out in the water!

Avoid blue, green or white swimsuits as they blend in easily in both still and moving water. Instead, get your little one suited-up in bright shades of pink, orange and yellow!

Assign a Safer Swimmer Guard

Designate a responsible adult as the “Safer Swimmer Guard” who will actively supervise the kids during swim time. The Safer Swimmer Guard should always stay close to young swimmers and be ready to help if needed and focus solely on the swimmers with no distractions, like smartphones, conversations or books!

  • Bonus points if this person is CPR-certified!

Remember, drownings happen quickly and oftentimes silently. It’s not like in the movies, it happens in an instant! An active, undistracted Safer Swimmer Guard is a must.

Make sure your kiddos wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket and take regular breaks to prevent exhaustion!

While floaties and water wings can be cost effective and fun, they are not life-saving devices. Additionally, while usually brightly colored and regularly seen on beaches, puddle jumpers can actually put a child in a drowning position, as opposed to allowing them to float on their back in an emergency. Always use a well-fitted Coast Guard-approved life jacket, especially when out on open water or on a boat!

Now that we are thinking like a lifeguard, let’s jump into some FUN!

Here are some FIN-tastic pool games for the whole family:

  • Water Balloon Toss: Divide into teams and toss water balloons to each other. The team with the most successful catches wins!

  • Bubble Tag: Get jumbo bubble wands and have one player blow bubbles while the others try to pop as many as they can before they hit the ground!

  • Treasure Hunt: Toss dive toys into the pool and let the kids dive in to retrieve them. The one who collects the most wins a prize.

  • Bubbles Push: Get your Bubbles bath toys and see who can push theirs to the other side of the pool first! The catch? You can’t use your hands!

Let’s party!

At Goldfish, we can always find a reason to Celebrate, but our very favorite way to celebrate is with parties – pool parties, that is! We love getting to be a part of our swimmers’ lives and their big celebrations. If you’re looking to take a break from hosting your own cool pool parties, we’ve got you covered! From birthdays to end-of-the-year sports celebrations, our crews love to help decorate our schools and our pools to create the perfect party. And of course, we provide the lifeguard!

If you’re in a Goldfish Swim School during the week of July 31st, please be sure to give your GSS Lifeguard a high-five for their life-saving work, and let them know that they’ve finspired you to Think Like A Lifeguard!