Kids and Hot Tubs — 5 Ways to Provide a Safe Experience for All

A new hot tub is a source of fun and relaxation for the entire family. But if your family includes young children, should you as a parent be wary of adding one to your backyard? Not at all. Kids can enjoy hot tubbing just as much as adults while being safe and protected. Here are a few easy tips to make that happen. 

1. Use Locking Covers

Any time there is a water element on the property, parents should take extra care to prevent drowning. The good news is that protecting kids from hot tubs is often easier than from a pool or landscape water feature. The main safety feature is a locking spa cover.

Look for a locking cover that is secured at multiple points so that no edges can be lifted by curious children. Some parents add an additional locking feature when they will be away for longer periods of time. For even better protection around kids, consider a pool fence and an automatically locking gate around the spa. 

2. Set Up Ground Rules

Before your new hot tub arrives, decide on your family's ground rules for its use. Most importantly, children should never use the spa without adult supervision. Parents should also limit or ban horseplay in and around the hot tub — and set a good example. The spa has powerful jets, suctions, and a drain that can entangle kids' clothing and long hair. The hot tub is largely designed for seated enjoyment.

3. Lower the Temperature

The hot water in a spa creates an extra risk for children, who tend to overheat more easily than adults. But you can minimize that risk by simply lowering the water temperature a few degrees. Rather than leave the hot tub at its maximum temperature (usually around 104 degrees), lower it to around 98 degrees. This lengthens the safe period of time that kids can be partially or fully immersed. 

If you prefer a higher temperature or use the hot tub for therapeutic relief, just reset it to the lower one in the hours before kids plan to use it. 

4. Limit Heat Exposure

As mentioned, kids can overheat quickly in a hot tub. So, regardless of the temperature, set a time limit for them. Children should reach about age 5 and an appropriate height before they use the hot tub. Even then, most children shouldn't be in the hot tub for more than about 15 minutes. They should also hydrate enough while in the hot environment. 

If little ones want to stay longer, have them only partially immerse in the hot water by sitting on the rim or using a booster seat. This removes their core from the heat and keeps it at a more even temperature. They can also split their time between relaxing in the spa and cooling off outside it. 

5. Keep Chemicals Safe

Finally, designate a locked storage location for hot tub cleaning and water management supplies. Things like chlorine, sanitizer, shock treatments, pH test strips, and scaling prevention solutions are important to keep the hot tub clean and safe. But they can be hazardous to kids, so put them away — preferably some distance away from the spa to minimize their impact on curious children. 

Where Can You Learn More?

Do you want more easy tips to provide a fun and safe hot tub experience for your little ones? Call or visit Wellis Hot Tubs of Colorado today. For more than 20 years, we've worked with families of all kinds to find the right hot tub for their needs and goals. We can help you too. Make an appointment or call to get answers to more of your questions.