The beach is an amazing place for children to have fun and enjoy. If you are planning to go to the beach with young children, it is important to know how to protect them and keep them safe.

Always supervise your children and never leave them alone...

  • When beaches are crowded it can be easy for children to get lost or wander off without you
  • While Lifesavers and Lifeguards are there to help, they are not babysitters and it is always the parent's responsibility to watch their children.
  • Even in shallow water sudden waves can happen at any time and can wash small children into deep water very quickly.
  • Make sure that you can see your children at all times - don't let your children run off to swim or play in the water by themselves.
  • Think about the best place to set up for the day so that you can keep a close eye on your children.
  • Don't leave smaller children alone with older children - Adults should always supervise children as even older children may not know what to do if something sudden happened.
  • Learning to swim is a very important skill and it is never too late to learn to swim and survive.
  • Even if your child can swim in a pool, it does not mean that they will be able to swim and survive in the ocean and in the waves.
  • Flash rip currents can happen very suddenly and unsupervised children playing in shallow water can quickly be taken away from the shore.

Become a Surf Lifesaving Nipper!

Surf Life Saving is a great activity for growing a child's confidence, knowledge and skills in the beach environment.
Join Nippers now!