"I always buy my kids blue" - Clever 13-colour chart that could save your kid's life this summer
Experts have revealed, arguably, the most important shopping decision you could make for your kids over the school summer holidays
![child swimming in the sea](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hyBU6sEBAS2R3woxSNYR9Q-415-80.jpg)
Safety experts have shared a clever 13-colour chart that shows how your kid's choice of swimwear could save their life this summer - and we'll never be buying blue swimming costumes again.
With the school summer holidays fast approaching, road trips to the beach, the swimming pool, and fresh water lakes are likely on kids' and parents' minds alike. It's a great time to get out into the outdoors and enjoy the cold water, but there's one very important choice you'll make on those days and it could save your child's life.
In a now viral Facebook post, experts from Plympton Fire department and Praire Lakes Healthcare System highlighted how easy or difficult it can be to see different colour swimwear through both the clear water of a swimming pool and the murkier water of lakes and oceans. Using a clever 13-colour chart, it showed the stark contrast between hard-to-see blues and the easily seen vibrant tones like pinks and oranges.
"This is a great safety guide for children swimming in lakes and swimming pools," they wrote in the post. "The colour of the bathing suit can make it easier or more difficult to see children while they are swimming. This is a good reminder to always have adult supervision when children are swimming."
Posted by PlymptonFireDept on
The worst performing colours are white, black, blue, grey and dark shades of red and orange. While these seem like bold tones on land, in the water where light scatters differently, they become desaturated and harder to see.
Greens, browns, and other earthy neutral colours are no good for swimming in open water as they're easily mistaken for the plants growing there and also become desaturated in sunlight. So, neon pink and neon orange, as well as yellow for clear swimming pools, are the colours we want to be shopping for.
Parents flooded the comments on the post, with many sharing that they had no idea how important the colour choice could be. "This is an excellent tip! No matter how prepared you think you may be, there is always something new to learn," one wrote. While another added, "Very interesting, I had never thought about the colour like this before."
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
When you're out and about this summer, your children's safety, especially in the summer heat, will likely be your top priority. We've got you covered with the 15 best sun creams for you and your family as well as with the new 'stranger danger' phrase your child needs to understand to stay safe. And for those rainy days where screens are our best entertainment, why not try these 6 expert-led tips to keeping your kids safe online?
Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.
-
Understanding your postpartum belly – what doctors and midwives want you to know
What your tummy will look and feel like after giving birth, plus tips for a healthy recovery
By Stephanie Wood Published
-
Can we make the internet safe for kids? How one mum is trying to protect her children
A fifth of parents don’t monitor what their children do online, resulting in large numbers of them being exposed to harmful content and bullying
By Fiona Ford Published
-
5 surprising ways rushing your kids out the door can be damaging, according to experts
Are you always rushing your kids out the door? Life is a constantly hectic schedule and although you need to be places on time, it can actually be damaging to kids.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
10 ways Millennial parents are ‘breaking the cycle’ - and teaching kids life lessons they were never taught
Being a 'cycle-breaker' is vital for parents who want their kids to learn life lessons they were never taught
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Plans to teach children how to spot ‘disinformation, fake news and putrid conspiracy theories’ in schools unveiled
In a bid to tackle how children interpret what they see online and how they spot fake news, the government has announced how this will be handled in schools.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
Strong willed teens don’t need to be ‘tamed,’ they need to be nurtured - expert shares how
It might surprise parents when their strong willed child remains that way into the teenage years - instead of crushing this part of their temperament, an expert shares how to nurture it.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
‘My relationship with my mum changed when I had a baby’ - expert shares how to deal with this challenge
It's natural for mother/daughter relationships to change once an adult daughter has a baby, but adjusting to that change can be a challenge.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
We asked grandparents how their grandkids make them feel loved - and their answers are adorable
Grandparents gave the most adorable answers when asked about the one thing grandchildren do to make them feel loved, and the bond between these generations seems so special.
By Lucy Wigley Published
-
6 parent-approved tricks to get kids of all ages to wear sunscreen
Keeping kids' skin protected with SPF is vital - but it's not the easiest thing to get on them
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Psychiatrist reveals why you’re always running late - and it’s more than just bad time-keeping
Everyone knows someone who's always late, even before they had motherhood as an excuse. However, a psychiatrist shares why there's a lot more to lateness than bad time-keeping.
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published