By nicole •
Fun is the main objective when planning to add a swimming pool to your backyard for your family to enjoy. But that can look different for every family, and a lot more goes into the design than you might imagine.
At Ashton Pools by Design, we’ve been helping families make special memories with unique pool designs tailored to their dreams for many years. Here’s our quick guide to what you should consider for a family-friendly pool of your very own.
What to consider when building a family-friendly pool
When beginning plans for a family-friendly pool, we promote a few key considerations to help guide the process:
- Who will be using the pool? Consider the size of your family and the different ages to focus on what you need to make it fun and accessible for the people using it.
- What size should your pool be? This can be partially influenced by the previous point, but you must also consider how much space you have in your backyard to work with.
- How do you balance safety and fun? These two things don’t have to be in conflict. With professional pool designers on your side, it’s much easier to create a fun space to relax and enjoy, while still keeping it safe for children or vulnerable adults.
How to make a pool kid-friendly
Families come in different shapes and sizes, but if you’ve got children to consider, here are some tips on how to make your swimming pool kid-friendly – no matter what their ages:
- Pool depth – Consider adding shallow areas for small children and toddlers to enjoy.
- Entry steps – Make it easy for the kids to safely step in and out of the pool gradually.
- Slides – A fantastic feature that provides endless amounts of fun for kids of any age and their friends.
- Inflatables – Add some inflatable items to play with when the sun’s out, including things to float on and use for games.
- Waterfalls and bubblers – Moving water provides plenty of excitement and engagement, with bubblers in shallow sections perfect to introduce toddlers to tactile play.
- Tanning ledges – Older kids might also enjoy being able to lounge by the pool with friends if you provide comfortable tanning ledges that sit in the water. These can double as baby pool depths when young children use this space, with a parent or guardian standing in the pool next to them!
Ultimately, the age of your children will dictate what you focus on, but even with small children it’s a good idea to plan for the future, providing a pool that is safe for them while they’re small, but with other features they’ll appreciate as they grow up.
Pool safety features
Safety is always paramount when designing any swimming pool, but thinking about your family members, their mobility levels, and their different ages can help to make including the right features easier. The following is just a selection of what we discuss with our clients:
- Automatic pool covers – To prevent pets and children from accidentally falling in when the pool is not in use.
- Pool handrails – Offering stability and reassurance for less mobile family members or young children.
- Pool fences – Keeping children away from the pool unless they’re supervised by an adult.
- Pool alarm – Designed to alert you if your children or pets enter the pool without supervision. These can be in the pool or on your doors.
All of these features help to keep those you love safe, but your own precautions are, of course, equally important once the pool is in place.
Choose the best pool builder
To get the very best outdoor living experience – including your pool – you need a pool builder you can trust. At Ashton Pools, we just celebrated our 20th year in business, and in our many years in the industry, we’ve won numerous awards, helping homeowners create unique spaces that fully meet the individual needs of their families.
We’re members of the invite-only Master Pools Guild, operating as specialist pool designers and builders for Delaware and Maryland Eastern Shore. Arrange a consultation with our friendly team of pool experts today and let’s begin the journey of transforming your backyard today!
