Summer is fast approaching and your kids are going to need some swimwear to stay cool in the pool. Before you buy a blue bathing suit though, you should watch this viral TikTok from a swim instructor and mom from Florida named Nikki Scarnati.
The mother of two prefaces her video by explaining that she bought her daughter a blue swimsuit on clearance just to demonstrate why it’s dangerous. In the video, Nikki’s daughter is wearing a blue bathing suit and swimming in the pool while Nikki cautions, “This is why you do not put your children in blue bathing suits. Look how difficult it is to see her under the water.”
When Nikki’s daughter is underwater, her body blends in with the pool. If something were to happen to Nikki while in the water and someone needed to find her to rescue her, they would have a difficult time locating her.
“And this is in calm water. This is not with a whole bunch of other kids playing, splashing around, and having a good time. Even look in the sunlight, look how difficult it is to see her with that bathing suit on ’cause it’s the same color as our environment. So, do not buy a blue bathing suit, guys.” The swim instructor warns.
Not enough people know about this, so it’s great that Nikki is helping to spread the word. Her video currently has over 6.4 million views and she was featured on Good Morning America!
If you go to any store selling bathing suits for kids, you’ll find many blue ones for sale. Not enough people know how unsafe that is.
But blue is not the only swimsuit color you should avoid. White is also difficult to see. Under Nikki’s video, another TikTok user commented, “I’m a former lifeguard and this is absolutely right! Any shade of blue is difficult to see, and so is any pastel light color in general.”
So what swimsuit colors are easy to see in the pool? In her Good Morning America interview, Nikki lists the colors of children’s swimsuits that parents should buy, “Neon orange, neon yellow, neon, pink…those three would be the best way to go. If neons are not available, then I would recommend red, orange, bright pink, or yellow.”
ALSO: Swimming Lessons are a Great Investment in Safety and Fun
In the same video as Nikki’s interview, Good Morning America highlights the sobering statistic that drowning is the leading cause of death among children aged 1-4, as reported by the CDC. This is also why I urge parents to teach their kids how to swim as soon as possible. Babies can start swimming with a parent when they’re 2 months old.
Have you heard of avoiding blue or pastel bathing suits for kids before? Please tell everyone you know. This simple advice could save a child’s life!
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