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Apr
26

Practice Playtime Safety

Posted by Backyard Ocean in Good Advice - (0 Comments)

With the beautiful spring weather beckoning children to go outside and play, it’s important to make sure that your local playground is safe. From April 21 to 27, we celebrate National Playground Safety Week as a time to focus our attention on the safety of our outdoor playground environment.

When accompanying your youngsters to the park, school, or home playground, you may discover that some risks do not appear obvious at first glance. To lessen the risk of accidental falls and injuries, the National Program for Playground Safety advises us to remember the acronym S.A.F.E.

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by imagerymagic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“S” is for Supervision

Actively supervise your child at the playground and keep an eye out for potential hazards. Report rusted or broken equipment and dangerous surfaces to the school or local office.

Teach children that it can be unsafe to push, shove, or crowd other kids while on the playground.

Dress your kids appropriately for the playground. Necklaces, bags, scarves or clothing with drawstrings can pose a hazard if caught in equipment.

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Jun
25

Classic Swimming Pool Games

Posted by Backyard Ocean in Summer Fun - (0 Comments)

Playing in a swimming pool with family and friends is one way of beating the summer heat. Check out these classic swimming pool games that are bound to keep everyone cooled off while having fun.

  1. Cannonball Contest – A classic pool game that gets everyone splashing around, the cannonball contest involves jumping off a pool board and creating the biggest splash. Players are first divided into two teams. The team goes to the opposite sides of the pool. The playing team will position themselves on the deeper end. Each member takes the diving board and jumps off with all his might, with knees touching the stomach. Whoever creates the biggest splash from the team will get the highest point from the judges, which is the non-playing team.
  2. Chicken Fight – This is another fun pool game that you can play under the sun. You need to form two pairs: One of the players from each team sits on his partner’s shoulders. With all their might, the players on top try to knock each other down into the water. Whoever stays on his partner’s shoulders is the winner.
  3. Whirlpool – Whirlpool is a fun game to play during a pool party. For this game, you need to ask everyone in the pool to form a compact circle. Ask everyone to walk first, then jog, and finally run to create a whirlpool in the middle. You can let the water current carry you around the pool or move against its direction for a challenge.

With these classic pool games, you can beat boredom and the hot summer sun while enjoying the refreshing waters of your swimming pool.

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Jul
25

Swimming Pool Safety and Kids

Posted by Backyard Ocean in Good Advice - (0 Comments)

Swimming is a favorite activity for children during summer, and it’s fun and good exercise too. But children don’t fully realize the danger of going into the water all by themselves. Here are some tips on how you can keep your children safe around swimming pools:

  1. Teach your kids how to swim. Swimming is an important skill that children should learn at an early age, as early as possible, especially if you have a pool in your backyard. Enroll them in swimming classes to learn the basics, and be sure they get a lot of practice. (It’s good for you too!)
  2. Teach your kids about pool safety. When young, they can learn not to run or play near the pool, to always use the ladder, to always have a swimming buddy, and all those pool safety basics we adults adhere to almost instinctually.
  3. Install a pool fence. You can teach them all about safety, but children simply love to play. Keep them away from the swimming pool area by surrounding it with a sturdy safety fence. This barrier prevents children from going near the pool without adult supervision.
  4. Get a pool alarm. A great addition to any swimming pool, whether or not you have kids, is a pool alarm. A traditional pool alarm will sound when something heavy disturbs the water. Another way to alarm your pool area is to install a gate alarm on your pool fence.

Teaching your kids how to to swim and about pool safety procedures will help them make the right decisions when it comes to playing, but when all else fails a pool fence/alarm combo is a solid back-up. These 4 steps are a good way to guard against accidents, but there is no sure-fire method to avoid them, as in any situation. Backyard Ocean recommends always supervising your kids when they are playing, in the pool or out.

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Jul
21

How to Clean Kiddie Pools

Posted by Backyard Ocean in Good Advice - (0 Comments)

The crew at Backyard Ocean knows that kids love to splash around in their own little pools. Pint-sized versions of adult swimming pools (a.k.a. kiddie pools) are fun to have around the house, whether you live in the city or the suburbs. However much fun, these little pools require regular cleaning, too.

Here are some ways you can maintain your tyke’s pool this summer:

Use a cover that fits your pool. This will keep leaves and insects out of the kiddie pool, helping to keep it clean for longer.

Remove dried leaves, bugs and other debris. If you do end up getting debris in the water, ask your kid(s) to join you in skimming the pool. Use a leaf skimmer or leaf rake.

  • Add a chlorine solution to the water. Kiddie pools may be small, but you should still add a little chlorine specifically made for children’s pools to keep bacteria at bay. There is also a special algaecide for kiddie pools to prevent algae from taking over.
  • Drain the pool as necessary. Given how expensive utility bills can be, it’s important to save water more than ever. Even still, make it a point to drain kiddie pools and replace it with clean water, especially if there have been ‘accidents’.
  • Scrub the insides of the pool clean. Using a pool brush and soap, gently scrub the interiors of the kiddie pool once every 2 weeks. This will remove algae and other buildup along the bottom and sides of the pool.

Most people don’t really think about maintaining their kiddie pool until the algae has built up to a point it’s no longer usable, no matter how much you scrub. By maintaining your kiddie pool you ensure that your kids have it next summer…and the summer after that…and the summer after that…

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Jul
18

Top 5 Backyard Ocean Safety Products

Posted by Backyard Ocean in Product Reviews - (0 Comments)

When it comes to having a swimming pool at home, safety is paramount—especially when there are children around. Backyard Ocean caters to this need by providing pool safety products that help reduce the number of accidents.

  1. PoolEye Pool Alarm – Designed to go off when objects weighing more than 15 lbs. enter the water, this alarm prevents children and pets from taking a dip without you knowing. Better yet, PoolEye pool alarms analyze disturbances in the water to not sound any false alarms. How’s that for a peace of mind?
  2. Pool Sonix Alarm – This intuitive pool alarm works with a Dual Process Technology that allows alarm detection and wireless communication. This alarm also works on solar power which makes it environmentally-friendly.
  3. Yardguard Pool Gate and Door Alarm – Yardguard pool and gate alarms feature an alarm code that you choose after installation, securing your pool area from any unauthorized entry.
  4. Removable In-ground Safety Fence – Children and pets are kept out of the pool area with this safety fence. Designed for in-ground pools, this fence can be easily installed and removed, and works great with the Yardguard pool and gate alarm.
  5. Foam Ring Buoy – Keep children safe while swimming with this ring buoy. Made with a durable, soft surface, this ring buoy can last for years with proper care.

Backyard Ocean would like to stress that even with safety measures in place, adult supervision is always best, if not necessary. Have a happy and safe summer!

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