April 20, 2018 – During my career at Olympic, it’s been fascinating to watch kids when their parents arrive to shop and select a new Hot Spring Spa for their home. And, because test soaking is available as a benefit prior to purchase, oftentimes kids get to try it out too.

Once you get your hot tub home, it’s a very fun relaxing way to spend time with family and special friends. If kids are part of the occasion, here are five safety tips to keep in mind when they’re in or around the hot tub.

• Remind them it’s not a pool. The inclination of a child is to look at the hot tub as a mini pool. A hot tub has way too many curves in the shell design and other fixtures that make it anything but! Make sure your kids are clear that they could easily hurt themselves or others by jumping around in the tub and diving into it (BIG no no!).
• Watch for rosy cheeks. Overactivity in a hot tub will cause kids who have not yet gone through puberty to overheat quickly. Until they reach that age, they have no sweat glands fully developed to manage the rising heat their little bodies will endure in the tub. Pay attention to cheeks—when they start glowing red, you know they’re overheating and need to take a break from the tub. Many Hot Spring Spas feature a cool down seat where they could get their torso above water and help them cool down.
• Hydrate!! Right along with overheating comes dehydration. Little ones need hydration when spending time in a hot tub. Make sure there is plenty of water on hand or other favorite (healthy!) beverages. Grapes or watermelon wedges are also great to have tub side, which are full of water.
• Make sure they’re assisted climbing in and out of the tub. My first point in this list will give you an indication of the fun and abandon kids will have when getting ready to head to the hot tub. That also means they may not pay attention when climbing in and out of the tub. Hot tub steps are critical! A SafetyRail would be a smart idea as well. And, always have them sit on the bar top of the hot tub, then swing their legs up and over from the outside into the tub. Stepping over the side of the tub into the water is not wise—they won’t be able to judge the depth of the water.
• Keep hot tub toys hot tub toys. Kids have a lot of favorite toys—and I’m sure none of them are designed to be exposed to hot water and water care products. They can also have some sharp edges that wouldn’t be fun to step on or sit on and could damage the shell. Make sure to invest in good safety approved toys for the hot tub.

Ready to take the kids for a soak?