For a fun-filled summer at the community or backyard pool, follow these safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide.

Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. Small children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water.Introduce babies to water when they are about 6 months old. Always use waterproof diapers and change them frequently. Children are not developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their 4th birthday. Swim programs for children under the age of 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning. Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."Every child is different, so enroll children in swimming lessons when you feel they are ready. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore/pool wall. Whether swimming in a backyard pool, or a larger body of water, teach children to swim with an adult. Older, more experienced swimmers should still swim with a partner every time. From the first time your kids swim, teach children to never go near or in water without an adult present.Swimming aids, such as water wings and noodles, are fun toys for kids, but they should never be used in place of a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device. Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as "floaties." They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.Make sure adults watching young children in the pool know CPR and can rescue a child if necessary. Better yet, take the time to learn CPR yourself.Don't swallow pool water. Try to avoid getting any pool water in your mouth. Prevent the spread of germs by not swimming when you have diarrhea (especially important for children and infants in diapers) and wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet or changing diapers.Backyard pools should have four-sided fencing that's at least 4 feet high and a self-closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering into the pool area unsupervised. Install a door alarm, a window alarm or both to alert you if a child wanders into the pool area unsupervised. Remember to empty inflatable or portable pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children's reach.Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook a long pole with a hook on the end and life preserver) and a telephone near the pool.