paddling pools,, what would you do

[mushpea]

Yes I know its a long way off but we got chatting about this today,,,, we have a 12ft paddling pool which we put up in the summer hols,, on the instructions it says not for children under age 6yrs,,, last year this wasnt much of a problem as i had 1 6yrold who went in it,, a 2yrold, and a 3yrold who used a small hard sided pool (cant have infatable cause the cats pop them!) and all was happy,,,, however this year the 3ryold has turned 4yrs and is very much a little boy who I know will want to go in it and I have also taken on a 5yrold girl who will probably also want to go in it,,, due to the childminder being struk off over the under age child being on the trampoline it made me weary of the fact the manafactures say not for under 6yrs as I dont want my insurance to be invalid if somthing should happen just because the child was under 6yrs therefore all children 6+ go in the big one and the others in the little one.
due think this is gonna be ok this year with the 5yrold who will want to go in? do I let her in or do I stick to the instructions and let her use the smaller pool (its about 4ft acrross), I dont want to be mean but neither do i want to be lumbered with hassle if somthing should happen
what would you do ?

[babs]

i wouldnt allow... but then again i dont get a paddlin pool out for water its always full of balls.... cant take your eyes off a pool even for a sec id be on pins whole time with my lot...

[guest4]

i wouldn't personally have the big pool, just the small one. ;)

[Allie]

I don't see how you could have a big pool, it would have to be fenced off in order that you can control who goes in it, little ones would kick off if not allowed, so there would be lots of tention and how on earth would you go to the toilet? as a 4,5 0r 6 year old could obviously open back door and decide to go in with out you supervising.

For me it simply would not be worth the risk I have a small paddling pool which I use as follows I never leave it while full (I take a potty and all nappy changing things out with me before filling up) I empty it as soon as we finish, never answer the door or telephone when it's full and still worry about using it!


Allie

[Ripeberry]

Just not worth the risk with any paddling pools. What I do with my mindees and own children is put the small sprinkler on and they love running through it and over it and then I trick them by standing on the hose and letting the water through when they least expect it :D
Great fun in hot weather and no risk of drowning :thumbsup:

[sweets]

im not sure about such a big one BUT if we only let children play with things that were only for their age group then 2 year olds would hardly play with anything that challenges them! most decent toys and crafts such as paint, glue etc are reccomended for children aged 3 and over, should we stop them using them or just supervise them?

i use a paddling pool in the summer for the little ones, just a tiny pool as i think its a shame not too, kids love them and i remember using one as a child.

like any activity it needs careful supervision. like a previous poster mentioned, i take everything out with me that i may need like a potty and nappy changing stuff, and my phones.

[mushpea]

I manage it by

making sure all children and me have used the toilet before going outside,,by staying outside at all times with them,,, by telling the younger children they cant go in the big pool and by providing a small one for them with lots of toys in,, the small pool gets emptyied after every use and the big one has a cover,,, the big one has a ladder to get in to it and this is taken out when they have finished in it,, if the door or the phone goes i shout over the fence that im on the way then get all the kids out, our back garden runs beside the footpath that leads to our door so I just open the side gate to the garden and stick my head out with all the children standing beside me, its very strict rules as to how they play and use the pools and if they break the rules then they are out for the day, last year it worked very well and they all had lots of fun.,,,
It seems unfair that my children cant use their pool for the best part of the summer because there are other children here and it seems unfair that my children could use the pool when the mindees are here so I try and be fair to both, they are not in there all day,, 45mins at the very most as its not a heated pool so they do get cold,,
they are as likley to hurt themselves in the pool as they are to fall off a climbing frame or slip whilst running through a sprinkler,,,, the biggest rule is they are not allowed to swim under water,, I want to see their heads at all times.

[jumpinjen]

A good point was made about the use of toys for recommended ages only.... and that 2 year olds wouldn't get to play with much!!!

i am very confident with children around water as we have always swum a lot, paddled on the beach, used the lido in summer (which is half a metre deep in the middle).

I see what you mean about not wanting to spoil your own children's fun and about the others worried about the risks so.....

You need to risk assess each individual child for their swimming ability and use of the pool. get parents to sign a permission form saying that they understand the manufacturers guidance, have seen the pool up and wish their child to use it over the summer. perhaps you could invest in life jacket style buoyancy aids that minded children could wear that won't prevent drowning (as none can) but would standardise the provision so you are comfortable with it. Write your policy to state that you will visually supervise the children at all time from within x distance of the pool. I'm not sure I would have a paddling pool up at the same time as the big pool as if you had to dive in the big pool to assist a child.... what about the toddler in the paddling pool? perhaps you could stagger their use so you are not supervising both at the same time?

All children are different with swimming.... my own three year old swims without arm bands but there are five year olds in the class next to her with three bands on still.

i haven't heard of the minder who lost her reg due to trampoline use..... if you risk assess thoroughly, then stick to your provisions and have permision you should be ok. sounds like you were pretty strict last year and that is good where this is concerned!

HTH, Jen x

[rickysmiths]

I would not let any under six year olds go in the large pool if that is the manufacturers guidance. You will not be covered by your Public Liability insurance if you do. I would ring your insurers tomorrow and check with them.

I am a confident swimmwer but I would never have two pools especially, a large one on the go together.

What if you have to leap in and haul a child out of the big pool and you have little ones in the little pool? You are not going to have time to make the little ones safe before you need to haul out an older one and a little one could drown while you get the older one out. Nightmare. High Risk of Death on your Risk Assessments. It would be a big NO NO for me.

My children will have to learn it is not used in minding hours or I actually wouldn't have one.

[The Juggler]

I would not let any under six year olds go in the large pool if that is the manufacturers guidance. You will not be covered by your Public Liability insurance if you do. I would ring your insurers tomorrow and check with them.

I am a confident swimmwer but I would never have two pools especially, a large one on the go together.

What if you have to leap in and haul a child out of the big pool and you have little ones in the little pool? You are not going to have time to make the little ones safe before you need to haul out an older one and a little one could drown while you get the older one out. Nightmare. High Risk of Death on your Risk Assessments. It would be a big NO NO for me.

My children will have to learn it is not used in minding hours or I actually wouldn't have one.

must admit that is one thing that would worry me

[mushpea]

hmm hadnt thought of that:blush: last year my partner worked nights and was up from 2pm so was there to help but this year he is back on days so wont be there,

maybe then a big pool for the older ones as it will be up anyway for my two and the only other mindee older enough is a 7yrold so thats three children in a paddling pool and then prehaps have a sand and water tray up for the others but is this still being inclusive? the idea of the two pools was that I was being inclusive by having one for each age group, if i didnt hve the 5yrold girl I would happily just allow the older ones in the pool and not worry quite so much about a pool for the younger ones but I know she will complain about it.

[flowerpots]

what about a little water slide for the little ones?


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the big ones will prob end up playing too. :thumbsup:

[mushpea]

looks great but we have no grass in our garden so not practical,, i did think of letting them play with the sprinkler but then our garden floods at the bottom so also not a brilliant idea,,,,

[The Juggler]

my 2 year olds stood IN the waterun last year whilst they were playing with it. kept their feet cool but not big enough for them to fall in :clapping:

[jumpinjen]

hmm hadnt thought of that:blush: last year my partner worked nights and was up from 2pm so was there to help but this year he is back on days so wont be there,

maybe then a big pool for the older ones as it will be up anyway for my two and the only other mindee older enough is a 7yrold so thats three children in a paddling pool and then prehaps have a sand and water tray up for the others but is this still being inclusive? the idea of the two pools was that I was being inclusive by having one for each age group, if i didnt hve the 5yrold girl I would happily just allow the older ones in the pool and not worry quite so much about a pool for the younger ones but I know she will complain about it.

You can still have a little pool up, just not at the same time that the big ones are in the big pool.... you said they only go in for about 45 mins so then once cover on and steps away you can fill the little pool to supervise that one?

[kindredspirits]

how about having virtually no water in the small pool - like 1/2" plus a water table?

[mushpea]

so kind of a splash pool? that would be good,, have just spoken to my two and we have decided that we will be out in the mornings,, so will fill up the little pool while we are out so itwarms up,, come home and have lunch,, then when lunch has gone down the little ones can have half hour in their pool then when they finished the older ones can go in the bigger pool then it dosent matter how long they have in the big pool as the others had their turn in the little pool
all of the above decided by my own two who are happy with this idea,, problem solved,,,
when the 5yrold moans I will just tell her tough and that she can look forward to next year when shes old enough for the big pool
thanks folks for your help and advice

[sweets]

if it was possible for you to go in the pool with the 5 year old then it would be no different to taking them swimming which is perfectly acceptable, but that would be difficult with younger ones to watch at the same time.