Summer days often mean a trip to the pool—maybe the one in your backyard, the neighborhood pool, or a friend’s. No matter where you’re heading, it’s important to check your pool day list, and check it twice, because few things are as frustrating as heading off to the pool only to find that a few of your essentials didn’t make the trip with you. From packing water to getting  pool basketball, we have you covered for your next pool day! Pool Day Checklist Here are just a few things you will need to make your day at the pool a great one: Beach Bags Make sure you have a large, sturdy, waterproof bag to hold all your supplies. You don’t want to use plastic bags for your wet items, a large waterproof beach bag is the way to go. Plus, a large bag with plenty of pockets will give you room for everything your family wants to bring along. Beach Towels Remember to bring your beach towels! And bring extras to line your beach bag with. If you put them at the bottom of your bag, they’ll absorb any water that might leak on the way home, or on the way there. Water Make sure to have lots of drinking water on hand. Whether you’re heading to someone else’s pool or your backyard pool, having plenty of water on hand is important. Have a cooler full of water to keep the kids from running in and out of the house to retrieve water—and if you’re at the neighborhood pool, having your own water will keep you from spending money at the snack bar. Food Have healthy snacks on hand for hunger pains. Bring chips, crackers, carrots, as well as sandwiches if you’ll be gone all day. And don’t forget paper towels or napkins. Sunscreen Sunscreen is the most important thing on your list. Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that will block both UVA and UVB rays. Remember, you will need to reapply if you get wet or sweat. Even if you don’t get wet, you should still reapply every few hours. Don’t squint all day! Sunglasses will save your eyesight and keep you from developing wrinkles. Find a pair of sunglasses that, like the sunscreen, block both UVA and UVB rays. First Aid Kit Pack a first aid kit in case of scrapes. Make sure to pack band-aids and antiseptic. Extra Clothes If you are heading to someone else’s pool, bring a change of clothes in case the ones your family are wearing get wet. This will make the ride home a lot more comfortable. Umbrella and Chairs Bring along a portable umbrella to give you some extra sun protection. Plus, a couple of comfy chairs will help if you aren’t sure there will be enough chairs to go around at the neighborhood pool. Pool Accessories You can't have a successful pool day without some excitement. Consider getting pool basketball or pool volleyball, so that you and your friends can heat things up with a little competition. It's fun for every age and it definitely will ensure your pool day is a blast! Other accessories could include: foam noodles, inflatables, etc. Pool Shoe Remember to pack pool shoes—shoes that can either get wet or some flip-flops that slip on and off easily. No one wants to have to slip on socks and lace-up shoes at the end of the day, especially when feet are wet. Check this list and check it twice before you head off to the pool this summer to make sure you have everything you need for a stress-free day! Dunn-Rite Pool Products & Pool Accessories 3rd Generation Family Owned Company with a long history of developing innovative products of the highest quality. Pool Fountains - Combo Units - Pool Volleyball - Pool Basketball

In many states, drowning has been the leading cause of accidental death in the homes of children under 5-years-old. Many communities have sanctioned safety regulations with regards to residential swimming pools. However, it is up to the parents of the children to comply with the regulations. Aside from the laws, those who own pools must take precautions to reduce the possibility of their child access the pool without supervision. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 75% of submersion victims were between 1 and 3 years old with 65% of them boys. Submersion incidents with children typically occur in a familiar environment and happen very quickly. Survival often comes down to quickly rescuing the child and restarting breathing while in the pool. To keep your child safe, there are several tips for you to understand:Tip #1 – Never Leave a Child Unsupervised While this may be the most obvious, in the time it takes for parents to answer a phone, the child could drown. During social gathers near a pool, appoint a designated watcher to protect the children from accidents. Adults often take turns as the water because when parents become preoccupied, children are now at risk. A good rule-of-thumb is to rotate watchers in 15-minute shifts.Tip #2 – Install Barriers While barriers are not completely childproof, they offer additional layers of protection for those who stray from supervision. A barrier can include any obstruction from allowing the child to enter the pool area, such as fences, walls or a power safety cover over the pool. You want to ensure the wall or fence is at least 4-feet tall so the child cannot climb it. Also, the fence slats should be no more than 4-inches apart to ensure the child does not squeeze through. Power safety covers must meet the ASTM pool cover standard for performance which requires the cover to withstand the weight of two adults and a child.Tip #3 - Utilize Door Alarms If the side of the house is one part of the barrier, then all doors leading to the house into the pool area should be protected with alarms producing an audible sound when opened. This alarm will notify the adult that the child is attempting to exit the home. The alarm should have a keypad to be used by adults when passing through the door.Tip #4 – Teach the Child to Swim According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, swimming lessons should be provided to children at the age of 4 or older. However, it is best to enter children between the ages of 1 and 4 into local aquatic programs to prepare them for swimming lessons. By having them become comfortable at a young age, they will enjoy being in the water and know the safety rules around your pool. While this is not a substitute for adult supervision and safety, there are drowning prevention skills that can be learned.Tip #5 – Learn CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is the process of resuscitating a drowning or choking victim back to life by clearing the lungs of water or the airways of an object. As a parent, learning CPR in case there is an accident could be the difference between life and death for your child. It is also recommended that babysitters, grandparents, older siblings or any other caretakers of your child learn CPR.Tip #6 – Put Away Pool Toys Children are often easily tempted by colorful pool toys shaped like animals or popular cartoon characters so they attempt to retrieve the toy and fall it. It is recommended that parents clear the pool and deck of the toys after each pool session so that children are not tempted to enter the area without adult supervision.Tip #7 – Safety Equipment There are some very interesting and beneficial pool safety gadgets that could save your child’s life. First, is a pool-mounted infrared detector which shoots out an invisible laser that, when broken, lets off a high-decibel alarm. Also, the underwater motion alarm uses a sonar grid to sound an alarm when movement is detected. Additionally, the personal immersion detector is worn as a wrist-band by the child which sounds an alarm when they contact the pool. Finally, as previously mentioned, a removable pool fence will create a temporary barricade if your child slips outside.Dunn-Rite Pool Products and Inflatable Paddle Boards 3rd Generation Family Owned Company with a long history of developing innovative products of the highest quality. Inflatable Paddle Boards - Combo Units - Pool Volleyball - Pool Basketball