Teach your child how to float with a PFD!
Floating in a calm, “face-up” position is not something that comes naturally to children.
Before going boating, teach your child how to float safely in a pool or shallow water where
the child cannot touch bottom. Specifically, you should:
If your child cannot turn to and maintain a relaxed, “face-up” floating position after getting
used to wearing a PFD, try another style or type of PFD.
Federal law requires that children under the age of 13 wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved
PFD when boating. Make sure your child always wears a PFD when on a boat or near the
water. Check state and local laws for other requirements. Children often imitate their
parents’ behavior, so it is a good idea to set an example for your child by wearing your own
PFD.
You can help prevent child drownings by having your child
wear the right PFD and teaching them to use it properly. A
PFD is not a substitute for adult supervision — NEVER leave
a child unattended in or near the water.
Teach your child to be calm in the water. Children sometimes panic when they enter
the water. This causes them to move their arms and legs frantically, making it difficult
for them to float safely with a PFD.
Teach your child to float on his/her back with arms and legs in the water and head
back, face out of the water (see the figure below). The height and weight distribution
of some young children makes them “top-heavy,” causing them to tip in the water
until they learn to float in a calm, “face-up” position.
Teach your child to turn to a “face-up” position from a “face-down” position. Have your
child practice turning himself / herself until you are certain that he/she can turn to a
“face-up” position consistently and reliably.
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MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD WEARS A PFD AT ALL TIMES!
Floating “face-up” using a
Type III-style PFD
Floating “face-up” using a
Type I- or Type II-style PFD
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