Paddling Pool?

[mummyme]

This may sound like a silly question but do people have a paddling pool out for mindees or are the health and safety implications and risk assessments not worth the risk?

I am a non-swimmer too which makes me wonder if that would look bad? Obviously our pool is hardly deep enough swim in but I am sure you understand what I mean.

[Bluebell]

I know childminders that have them but I think it depends on your situation. My garden and downstairs are almost like 1 big space and the door is pretty much always open (- except when freezing cold) and even then we are in and out. Unless I was locking the door I wouldn't trust an older child not to open the door and then I would have young children and water and potentially if I am upstairs getting a little one up for a nap or inside changing a nappy I would not be able to see and it would only take a second for an accident to happen. I have a water table that has a lid on it and one of the children got the lid of himself the other day and was leaning over the side to reach something on the other side - he could so easily have fallen in and not righted himself. Fortunately I was in the garden and could see what was going on but him getting the lid of was not something I was aware he could do so quite worrying really. If your children only go out as a group and with you then you would always be there to supervise. My garden is tiny and has a high locked gate so limted as to where they can go and what they can do in terms of risk but with a paddling pool out there I wouldn't be able to leave them. depends how many you got at a time.
I don't think you being a non swimmer would make any difference in a paddling pool situation.

[kel1983]

We allow the to use the paddling pool. We only have it out on the days when there is 2 or 3 of them and there is 2 adults to supervise.

[jumping j]

I use one, I only fill it as deep as I'd fill a water tray so it's got the same risks as having the water tray out, and that's out all the time

[Chimps Childminding]

I'm getting mine out today but only because I've got 1 x 7 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. I don't have it out when I have more than 1 littlie and its only one of the small round ones that cost £3 or £4 so not a huge amount of water! Sometimes I have the sprinkler on instead or just the sand table filled with water - they all seem to enjoy that!!

[blue bear]

I do sometimes, very shallow and empty out when I need to leave the garden, or we use the hose pipe which the chikdren love as they are not normally allowed it.

[EmmaReed84]

I have a larger "pool" kind of one, that is inflatable. It only gets used at the weekend when not working as I don't like the idea of mindees in there and something happening if I needed a wee or something like that.

I do have a water tray out and a small 2 ring paddling pool, more for the kids to stand in... mostly they use it as a massive paint pot and "paint" my patio lol

[loocyloo]

i don't currently have a paddling pool, but have used one in the past with older mindees and lots of supervision.

i tend to fill my tuff tray with water and let them play with that!

[jaja]

I had mine up the yesterday with 2 x 7 year old, 1 x 4 year old 1 x 3 year old and two adults stood next to the pool at all times, kids taking it in turns to go in and out, and worked really well, today i am on my own and wont be using the pool, i wouldnt feel safe letting them in it today.... depends on what children i have, how they behave, the ratio of adults and ra to it too...

xx

[pinkrabbit]

I have a big paddling pool which i have put up this week (weather is too nice not too) It is about a foot deep so not suitable for LO's. I have a nine and 11 year old using it - they can both swim. Have Risk assessed and the kids are having fun. Littlies are only allowed in garden if i am with them and they know they can not go in pool but are more than happy playing in the water tray. They did have a paddle in pool yesterday with me but didn't like it because the water was too cold.