What you need to know

• Pool toys are any objects that are used for entertainment in and around the water, including noodles, floaties, dive rings, inflatable rings, kickboards, beach balls and inflatable rafts
• When left in and around the pool, they can attract the attention of children who may try to get through or over a fence or reach out to try and get the toy from the pool’s edge
• Toys such as floaties and noodles can also make a child seem more competent in the water, providing parents with a false sense of their child’s swimming ability
• Pool toys can also be used to reach someone in trouble, although this should only be done as a last resort in case of emergencies

How to stay safe

• Always supervise children around water – pool toys do not replace the need for active adult supervision
• Check the age and weight ranges recommended for toys, ensuring your child is not too old or too heavy for them
• Ensure that children do not use pool toys for purposes other than those for which they are recommended
• Deflate pool toys when not in use and check for leaks before use
• Store all pool toys securely, out of the sight and reach of young children
• Never leave pool toys in the pool when they are not in use

Real-life story

A child under five drowned after making his way into the backyard swimming pool. The child had been missing for about 5 minutes when the parents realised and found the child face-down in the family’s swimming pool. It appeared the child had made his way through a faulty fence panel after being drawn to a brightly coloured pool noodle and beach ball floating in the pool. Royal Life Saving urges people to ensure pool toys are stored securely away from the pool area, out of sight and reach of small children.

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• Image as per current fact sheet