Swimming instructor warns parents not to put towel around kids' shoulders this summer

A swimming instructor has shared her hack of how to safely wrap children in a towel - and parents are loving it.

With the summer months approaching, it's likely your mind is drifting off to sunnier climes and you're planning some summer holidays.

Maybe you're even imagining all of the pool-side fun your children will be having whilst you sip on a mojito.

And while wrapping your kids in towels seems straightforward, an expert has weighed up to impart her advice.

The usual method of draping a towel over a child's shoulders can be unsafe. (Getty Stock Image)

Certified ISR swim instructor, water safety advocate, and drowning prevention educator Nikki Scarnati shared her ingenious advice on TikTok about the safest way to dry off a child after swimming.

And while the adjustment is a small, it could potentially save a child's life.

In her video, Nikki contrasts the common method of towel wrapping with a safer approach.

She mentions: "I see it happen so many times, and I myself, as a parent, did it without even realising it was a thing."

Nikki explains that the usual method of draping a towel over a child's shoulders can be unsafe.

This could potentially save a child's life. (Getty Stock Image)

This is because, if a child falls into the pool with a towel wrapped this way, their limbs are restricted under the wet towel, hindering their ability to swim to safety.

Instead, Nikki advises drying the child's arms first, then having them lift their arms and wrapping the towel around them - in a similar fashion to how we do it as adults after a shower.

She further explains: "That way, if they end up in the water, they still have access to their limbs to self-rescue and they're that much safer."

And parents flooded the comments with messages of praise.

One person wrote: "I can confirm this is true. When I was two I fell into the deep end of a rec pool with my towel on around my arms and I had to be rescued."

Another said: "Also if they trip, they can catch themselves before hitting the ground."

A third wrote: "That's a great idea! I bought my son an oversized towel hoodie so his arms stay covered but he's got mobility."

A fourth asked the question: "Mines four, she’s gonna move the towel on top of her shoulders if she’s cold though?”

To which Nikki responded: "You can wrap it and tuck it in the back so they can still move. Or opt for a different style towel or a Teri cloth towel robe.”

Happy holidays!

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