Deciding whether your child is ready for a paddling pool isn’t just about age — constant supervision, caution around shallow water, and draining the pool after use all need to be in place first.
As the heat sets in, more families bring out a small paddling pool — sometimes called a kiddie pool — in the garden, on the balcony, or by the front door to enjoy some water play with their kids. Even on days when outdoor play elsewhere is difficult, being able to splash around close to home is a welcome treat for children.
At the same time, many parents aren’t sure: “What age is a paddling pool actually okay for?” “Is it fine as long as the water is shallow?” “Can I look away for just a moment?” A paddling pool feels so familiar and low-key that the risks can be easy to overlook.
As editor-in-chief of TamagoDaruma, what concerns me most isn’t the pool itself, but the “supervision gap” that can open up precisely because home feels so safe. Accidents don’t only happen in obviously dangerous places. Checking a phone, answering the door for a delivery, or tending to a younger sibling — these everyday moments can become a real risk during water play.
On May 28, 2026, Japan’s Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and other bodies issued an official notice to schools and childcare facilities titled “On Preventing Accidents During Pool Activities and Water Play, and Preventing Heatstroke.” It wasn’t written for individual households, but the same principles of active supervision and heat-risk management are useful for a paddling pool at home as well.
(Source: On Preventing Accidents During Pool Activities and Water Play, and Preventing Heatstroke, at Educational and Childcare Facilities | Children and Families Agency)
This article walks through when a child may be ready for paddling-pool play, why shallow water still requires caution, how to close gaps in supervision, what to do after play ends, and how to manage heatstroke risk on hot days.
If you’re looking for splash pads or water-play spots outside the home, this related article may also help.
Table of Contents
What Age Is a Paddling Pool Safe For? Judge by the Supervision Setup, Not Age Alone
Rather than fixing one “safe age” for a paddling pool, it’s best to judge by your child’s development, physical condition, water depth, where it’s set up, and how well an adult can supervise.
When setting up a paddling pool, most parents’ first question is “what age can we start?” But the public safety information available doesn’t set a single standard age for paddling pool use.
In practice, you’ll need to check the manufacturer’s stated age range and precautions for the specific product, and then weigh that alongside your child’s developmental stage, physical condition, water depth, where the pool is set up, and whether an adult can actually supervise.
Even among 2-year-olds, some walk steadily while others fall easily, some are afraid of water, and some are startled badly when water splashes their face. Even at 3 or 4, children can suddenly start running when excited, or crouch down abruptly copying a sibling. Getting older doesn’t automatically make a child safer.
Japan’s Children and Families Agency notes that infants and young children have not yet developed the ability to predict danger or exercise judgment, and that their physical abilities and understanding change with age and developmental stage. The Agency also warns that drowning risk exists even in shallow water.
(Source: Water Danger Is Closer Than You Think — Let’s All Watch Out for It | Children and Families Agency)
A paddling pool is a good way to introduce children to the pleasant feel of water. But enjoyment and safety need to be considered together.
What Changes by Age: Under 1, 1–2, and 3–6
For babies under 1, the right way to engage with water varies a lot depending on age in months, development, and physical condition. Don’t assume a paddling pool is the starting point — consider beginning with brief, gentle contact with water instead. If you have concerns about development or health, check with your child’s pediatrician or family doctor.
Between ages 1 and 2, children are learning to walk, but this is also a stage with more falls and unexpected movements. Some children are curious about water and try to get in on their own, but they don’t yet have the ability to understand a spoken warning and stop themselves. Even in shallow water, an adult needs to be right there at all times.
Between ages 3 and 4, children can usually enjoy a wider range of water-play activities — watering cans, cups, scooping toy fish, and more. But once friends or siblings are involved, play can suddenly turn rougher: pushing, running, splashing water in each other’s faces.
Between ages 5 and 6, children can understand verbal agreements more easily, but “they understand the rule” doesn’t mean “it’s fine.” Especially with siblings or friends around, watch for falls from horseplay and for a child being too rough with a younger sibling.
| Age / Developmental Stage | Recommended Approach | Key Risks to Watch For |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | Don’t force it — start with brief contact with water | Unstable posture, changes in body temperature, sun exposure, physical condition |
| 1–2 years | Very shallow water, short sessions, supervise within arm’s reach at all times | Falls, face going underwater, sudden movement |
| 3–4 years | An easier stage to introduce play with tools | Running, pushing, splashing each other, play getting too rough |
| 5–6 years | Can play while confirming agreed rules, but supervision still continues | Sibling play, horseplay with friends, over-reliance on flotation aids |
| When multiple children play together | The bigger the age gap, the more you should limit numbers to what one adult can watch | Younger children getting caught up in older children’s movements |
This table isn’t meant to define “what age is okay” — it’s meant to help you organize what to watch for. Before thinking about age, check whether the supervision setup for a paddling pool is actually in place.
Keep “Getting Comfortable With Water” Separate From “Practicing Swimming”
A paddling pool is, at its core, a place for getting comfortable with water. If you start treating it as a place to practice swimming, it becomes tempting to make the water deeper, encourage your child to put their face in, or rely on flotation aids.
For infants and toddlers, sensory play — “water feels nice,” “it’s cold,” “let’s scoop it up,” “let’s pour it on your feet” — is more than enough at a paddling pool. Pouring water from a watering can, filling a cup, chasing a floating toy: these are all meaningful experiences for a young child.
At TamagoDaruma, we think it’s more useful to treat a paddling pool not as a place to build new skills, but as a place to become comfortable with water under safe conditions. There’s no need to rush toward swimming — simply sharing water-safety rules together as a family is a meaningful summer lesson in itself.
Is Shallow Water Really Dangerous? Common Paddling Pool Accidents
Paddling pools carry risks beyond drowning — falls, slipping, injuries from nearby objects, and heatstroke can all happen too. It’s important not to let your guard down just because the water is shallow.
The first thing to understand about paddling pool safety is that shallow water does not equal safe water.
Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency warns that a child can drown in a paddling pool with water just 10 cm deep. It also notes that the wet area around a pool becomes slippery and can lead to falls.
(Source: Be Careful of Accidents With Home Pools | Consumer Affairs Agency)
The point here isn’t to frighten parents, and it isn’t to suggest paddling pools should be avoided. Rather, knowing exactly what the risks look like makes it easier to set up the conditions for enjoying water play with peace of mind.
Why Children Can Drown Even in Shallow Water
Young children can’t always right themselves quickly after falling. When their face touches water, they won’t necessarily react by instinctively lifting themselves back up. Even in shallow water, it’s dangerous whenever a child’s nose or mouth ends up covered.
The Children and Families Agency explains that infants and toddlers can drown in water as shallow as 3 cm. It also reports that among parents who experienced a child’s drowning incident, more than 80% said they never heard a scream or cry for help.
(Source: Water Danger Is Closer Than You Think — Let’s All Watch Out for It | Children and Families Agency)
Editor-in-Chief’s Note
I think this idea of “quiet drowning” gets at the real nature of paddling pool risk. We tend to assume that when something’s wrong, we’ll notice it through sound or shouting. But water accidents often happen in a way that breaks that assumption entirely. What’s needed isn’t “act once you notice something’s wrong,” but a way of watching that doesn’t wait for a warning sign at all.
What makes a paddling pool unsettling is that it doesn’t look like an obvious danger the way the ocean or a river does. Shallow water, your own garden, a parent close by — all of this can make the situation feel safer than it really is. But accident prevention means paying attention not just to places that look dangerous, but to places that feel safe enough to look away from.
Falls, Slips, and Injuries From Nearby Objects
Water isn’t the only thing to watch with a paddling pool — the area around it matters just as much.
The Consumer Affairs Agency’s advisory describes a case where a 1-year-old, playing in a vinyl paddling pool at home, fell on wet asphalt after getting out and was hospitalized after hitting their head. It also describes a case where a child slipped and fell inside the pool, was struck by a plant support stake in the cheek, and was hospitalized.
(Source: Be Careful of Accidents With Home Pools | Consumer Affairs Agency)
Wet balconies, tiles, concrete, and entryway flooring all become slippery. A child bolting the moment they climb out of the pool, chasing a sibling, or trying to head back inside with wet feet — these are exactly the moments when falls tend to happen.
Plant pots, laundry stands, support poles, steps, and toy boxes near the pool can all turn a fall into an injury. It’s not enough to think about the safety of the pool itself — it matters just as much what’s waiting wherever a child might fall.
Before filling the pool, walk a full circle around it and check. Paddling pool safety needs to be considered across three zones: in the water, at the water’s edge, and the surrounding area.
The Real Risk Is the “Supervision Gap” — Common Mistakes and How to Prevent Them
During water play, a moment spent on a phone, on housework, answering the door, or tending a sibling can open a supervision gap. With a paddling pool, it’s important to decide “who is watching” before you start.
The single most important thing for preventing paddling pool accidents isn’t “having an adult nearby” — it’s never letting that adult’s attention actually break.
The official notice from the Children and Families Agency and other bodies states that when schools and childcare facilities run pool activities or water play, they should avoid any gap in supervision by assigning a dedicated supervisor separate from staff running the pool activity itself, with clearly divided roles. It also states that the supervisor should focus solely on watching, monitor the entire supervision area without exception, and that canceling the activity is an option when adequate supervision can’t be arranged.
(Source: On Preventing Accidents During Pool Activities and Water Play, and Preventing Heatstroke, at Educational and Childcare Facilities | Children and Families Agency)
This thinking is designed for childcare facilities, but it applies at home too. At home, there may only be one adult present, so on days when you can’t set up a separate supervisor, it may be safer to shorten the play session, reduce the number of children, or decide not to do it at all.
Supervision Gaps That Commonly Happen at Home
Here are some of the supervision gaps that tend to happen with paddling pools.
| Situation | How Supervision May Be Interrupted | Safer Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Taking photos on a phone | Attention shifts from the water to the screen | Set a time limit for photos, and split “the one taking photos” from “the one watching” |
| Delivery / doorbell | Leaving the area to answer the door | Take all children out of the water first |
| Laundry / housework | “I’ll be right back” turns into several minutes | Don’t do housework during water play |
| Tending a younger sibling | Attention shifts away from the older child | Consider not putting multiple children in the water at the same time |
| Parents chatting with each other | Being nearby without actually watching | Decide out loud who is supervising |
| Siblings playing alone | Leaving supervision to the older child | Don’t make a child responsible for supervision |
What deserves particular attention is the state of “being nearby but not actually watching.” This isn’t about blaming parents. At home, housework, messages, and caring for a younger child all happen at once — which is exactly why it’s worth checking, before setting up the pool, whether you can actually give this block of time your full attention.
Keep “the Person Supervising” Separate From “the Person Playing”
At home, parents often supervise while playing alongside their child, and that’s not a bad thing in itself. Splashing each other or playing with toys together is a genuinely enjoyable experience for a child.
But “playing” and “supervising” look similar while being quite different. While playing, your attention naturally narrows to the child right in front of you. Meanwhile, another child might go quiet, or try to climb out of the pool, without you noticing.
If two adults are present, it helps to have one play with the children while the other watches the whole scene. If there’s only one adult, keep the activity simple and avoid having too many children at once.
Editor-in-Chief’s Note
Paddling pool safety shouldn’t depend on willpower alone. Everyone’s attention lapses sometimes. That’s why simple rules matter more than good intentions — things like taking every child out of the water whenever an adult has to step away, or deciding out loud who’s watching.
The Courage to Cancel Is Also a Safety Measure
Just because you’ve set up a paddling pool doesn’t mean you have to go through with it.
When a child is looking forward to it, parents naturally think “just a little bit, at least.” Once the water is already in, canceling feels even harder. But on days when there’s no adult available to supervise, the heat is severe, a child isn’t feeling like their usual self, or siblings keep fighting — canceling is a legitimate safety measure.
Canceling isn’t a failure, and it isn’t taking away your child’s fun. Simply saying, “the conditions for playing safely aren’t there today, so let’s do something else,” helps build a sense of safety standards within the family.
Switching to indoor craft activities or other water-free summer play is one option in place of water play.
Safety Checklist Before Setting Up a Paddling Pool
Before filling the pool, checking the setup location, water depth, shade, who’s supervising, emergency response, and post-play drainage can address many of the most common safety concerns around a paddling pool.
Paddling pool safety works better when it’s decided before you start rather than figured out once play has already begun. Once a child sees the water and gets excited, it becomes much harder to go over rules or make clear-headed decisions about winding down.
Below is a safety checklist you can use at home as-is. If you’re putting together a printable version, splitting it into “before starting,” “during play,” and “after play” makes it easy for both parents and childcare settings to use.
Before You Start
How safe a paddling pool is depends heavily on the preparation done before the water goes in. Check the following items.
| Check Item | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Setup location | Any steps, fall risk, or car/bicycle traffic nearby |
| Ground surface | Whether the surface is slippery, and whether a non-slip mat is needed |
| Nearby objects | No plant pots, support poles, laundry stands, or hard toys close by |
| Water depth | Not too deep for your child’s age and development |
| Shade | Whether direct sunlight is too strong, and whether shade can be arranged |
| Heat | Whether you’ve checked the WBGT heat index or a heatstroke alert |
| Physical condition | No fever, diarrhea, poor appetite, lack of sleep, etc. |
| Supervisor | Decided who will be watching |
| Phone use | Decided a rule not to check it during water play |
| Drainage | Whether you can drain the water right after play ends |
The key is deciding all of this before the water goes in. Once the pool is filled, children naturally want to get in right away, and parents want to let them start playing — which is why the safety check needs to be finished before that point.
During Play
During play, watch not only your child’s expression, movement, and the water’s surface, but the surrounding conditions too.
| Check Item | What to Watch For |
|---|---|
| Distance | Is an adult close enough to reach out immediately? |
| Line of sight | Are you keeping your eyes on the water’s surface and your child’s face and movements? |
| Number of children | Are there too many children for you to watch all of them? |
| Behavior during play | Has it turned into pushing, running, or splashing water in faces? |
| Breaks | Are you pausing regularly to let children rest? |
| Hydration | Are children drinking water regularly even during play? |
| Changes in behavior or appearance | Any sudden quietness, listlessness, or paleness? |
If an adult needs to step away during water play, the safe move isn’t “just for a moment” — it’s taking every child out of the water first. The doorbell, a phone call, tending to a younger sibling, a bathroom break — all of these can become supervision gaps.
After Play Ends
A paddling pool still needs attention after play is over. If water is left in it, a child may wander back to it later.
| Check Item | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Drainage | Drain the water as soon as play ends |
| Pool storage | Flip it over, let it dry, and make sure a child can’t get back in |
| Surrounding area | Check for puddles and slippery flooring |
| Toys | Drain them and put them away |
| Child’s condition | Check that they aren’t too chilled or too tired |
The National Center for Child Health and Development states that because accidents can happen even at a depth of just a few centimeters in vinyl pools and other water-play settings, the water should always be drained once play is finished.
(Source: Please Be Aware of Children’s “Water Accidents” | National Center for Child Health and Development)
“Let’s leave it since we’ll use it again tomorrow” is exactly the habit to avoid with a paddling pool. Treat draining the water as part of the water play itself.
During summer, questions also come up about infectious illnesses and when a child can return to daycare or school. This related article breaks down the differences between hand-foot-and-mouth disease, herpangina, and pharyngoconjunctival fever (“pool fever”).
On Hot Days, Pair Water Play With Heatstroke Prevention
Heatstroke risk doesn’t disappear just because a child is in the water. For a paddling pool, it’s important to check the heat index, shade, breaks, and hydration together.
A paddling pool is a good way to stay cool on a hot day. But assuming “we won’t get heatstroke because we’re in the water” is a dangerous mindset. Under direct sun, sunlight, humidity, heat reflected off the ground, and the level of physical activity all put strain on the body.
The official notice from the Children and Families Agency and other bodies covers heatstroke prevention alongside accident prevention for pool activities and water play. For heatstroke prevention, it calls for hydration before activity, rest breaks, hydration after activity ends, and appropriate response if symptoms suggestive of heatstroke appear.
(Source: On Preventing Accidents During Pool Activities and Water Play, and Preventing Heatstroke, at Educational and Childcare Facilities | Children and Families Agency)
For heat-safety measures for children at hoikuen (daycare centers) and yochien (kindergartens), this related TamagoDaruma article breaks things down across three stages: before arriving, during the day at school, and after coming home.
Check the WBGT Heat Index
Before setting up a paddling pool, checking the WBGT heat index — not just the air temperature — makes the decision easier.
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment describes the WBGT heat index (Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature) as a measure that factors in humidity, surrounding heat sources like sunlight and radiant heat, and air temperature. It’s expressed in the same Celsius units as air temperature, but the number means something different. Readers outside Japan can check whatever heat-stress index their own national weather service provides.
(Source: About the Heat Index (WBGT) | Ministry of the Environment)
In practice, here’s a realistic way to use these at home.
| What to Check | How to Use It at Home |
|---|---|
| Air temperature | Use as a rough sense of how hot it feels |
| Humidity | Check for mugginess |
| WBGT heat index | Use it to decide whether to go ahead, shorten the session, or cancel |
| Shade | Check whether the actual play spot is in direct sunlight |
| Child’s condition | Prioritize this over any number |
Don’t decide mechanically based on numbers alone — weigh them together with the actual heat at the play spot, your child’s condition, and how well an adult can supervise.
Set Your Family’s Own Guidelines for Canceling Water Play
Deciding in advance what conditions mean “we’re not doing this today” reduces hesitation for parents.
| Situation to Consider Shortening or Canceling | Suggested Response |
|---|---|
| Heat index is high | Shorten the session, or switch to indoor play |
| Can’t create shade | Change the time of day, or skip it |
| One adult watching multiple children | Reduce numbers, shorten the session |
| Child isn’t feeling like their usual self | Skip it |
| Sibling conflict or high excitement | Pause or stop for now |
| Parent is exhausted | Don’t push through it |
In areas where a heatstroke warning alert has been issued, taking active steps to protect against the heat becomes necessary. The Ministry of the Environment’s heatstroke prevention site lets you check the heat index and any alerts by region — international readers should check whatever heat-warning system their own country or region provides.
(Source: Heatstroke Warning Alert | Ministry of the Environment)
When children are having fun, they’ll say “I still want to play.” This is exactly why the adult needs to be the one who decides when it ends. With a paddling pool, it’s safer to think in terms of “until it can end safely” rather than “until the child gets bored.”
How Is Water Play at Hoikuen and Yochien Different From a Paddling Pool at Home?
At daycare and kindergarten, supervision structures and divided roles are built in from the start. At home, that structure needs to be recreated on a smaller scale. A paddling pool comes with more freedom than a childcare setting, which is why the parent’s own planning matters so much.
Water play at a hoikuen (daycare center) or yochien (kindergarten) and water play at home are both “water play,” but they start from different premises.
At these facilities, activities take place within a set structure: sharing information among staff beforehand, a designated supervisor, an activity leader, emergency response plans, health checks, and communication with parents. The exact setup varies by facility, but at minimum, it requires a design built around safely watching a group of children together.
A paddling pool, by contrast, is flexible. You can set it up whenever you like, and it’s easy to match your child’s own pace. In exchange, your family has to decide the supervisor, breaks, drainage, heat judgment, and when to end play — all on its own.
At Childcare Facilities, Supervisors, Activity Leaders, and Emergency Response Are Built Into the Plan
The official notice from the Children and Families Agency and other bodies, in outlining accident prevention for pool activities and water play at schools and childcare facilities, covers securing a supervision structure, briefing staff in advance, and preparing for emergencies. In particular, it calls for separating the person doing the supervising from the person running the pool activity, with clearly divided roles.
(Source: On Preventing Accidents During Pool Activities and Water Play, and Preventing Heatstroke, at Educational and Childcare Facilities | Children and Families Agency)
You can’t build a structure this elaborate for a paddling pool at home. But the underlying thinking still applies.
Safety management at childcare facilities isn’t there to make families feel judged. If anything, it offers useful hints for not relying entirely on a parent’s own attention at home.
For how childcare facilities prepare for the start of pool season and water play, this related article covers it from both the childcare-worker’s and the parent’s perspective.
At Home, Recreate a “Small-Scale Version of a Childcare Facility’s Safety Design”
A household can’t station multiple staff members the way a daycare center does. That’s exactly why scaling the same ideas down, as below, makes them easier to put into practice.
| How Childcare Facilities Approach It | How to Scale It Down at Home |
|---|---|
| Assign a supervisor | Decide on one adult who will watch |
| Separate the activity leader from the supervisor | Consciously separate “the one playing” from “the one watching” |
| Brief staff in advance | Say the family’s rules out loud |
| Emergency response | Keep a phone, towel, and emergency contact info close by |
| Deciding to cancel an activity | Decide to cancel based on heat, health, or supervision availability |
| Post-activity check | Drain the water and tidy up the surrounding area |
Thinking of a paddling pool as “a small-scale version of a childcare facility’s safety design” makes it clearer what needs doing. There’s no need to make it elaborate. Simply deciding, before the water goes in, who’s watching, how often to take breaks, and when it will end already makes a real difference.
Showing love as a parent isn’t only about letting play go on longer. Starting safely and ending safely are both part of what paddling pool time actually means.
Frequently Asked Questions: Paddling Pool Safety Q&A
Straightforward answers to the questions parents most often have about paddling pools — age, water depth, flotation rings, balconies, sibling play, and cleanup.
- Q. What age can a paddling pool be used from?
- Public safety information doesn’t set a single standard age for starting paddling pool use. Judge based on your child’s development, physical condition, the product’s stated age range, and how well an adult can supervise — not age alone.
- Q. Is it okay to let a baby under 1 play with water?
- There’s no need to put a baby in a pool. The right approach depends on their age in months, development, and condition, so consider starting with brief, gentle contact with water. If you have concerns, check with your child’s pediatrician or family doctor.
- Q. Is it okay to look away if the water is only about 10 cm deep?
- No. Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency warns that a child can drown in water just 10 cm deep. Even at that depth, an adult needs to stay right there and keep watching.
- Q. Does using a flotation ring or arm floats make things safe?
- Flotation aids are just that — aids. They’re not a substitute for supervision. The National Center for Child Health and Development also notes that children can still drown even while wearing flotation devices, if the device slips off or the child flips over.
- Q. Can I let siblings play together on their own?
- This isn’t recommended. Even if an older child seems responsible, avoid putting them in charge of supervision. Adult supervision remains a requirement even when siblings are playing together.
- Q. What should I watch for with a balcony pool?
- Watch for fall risk, drainage, water splashing onto neighbors, slippery flooring, and keeping an evacuation route clear. In apartment buildings, also check your building’s rules and be mindful of neighbors.
- Q. Can the water be reused the next day?
- From a safety standpoint, draining the water once play ends is recommended. Leaving water in the pool creates a risk that a child could go near it when no adult is watching.
- Q. Does water play on a hot day count as heatstroke prevention?
- Water play makes it easier to feel cool, but it doesn’t eliminate heatstroke risk. Check the WBGT heat index, shade, breaks, and hydration.
- Q. What’s the difference between water play at daycare and a paddling pool at home?
- Childcare facilities design a supervision structure, divided roles, and emergency response in advance. Families can’t recreate the same structure, but they can scale it down — deciding a supervisor, not doing housework during play, and draining the water afterward.
- Q. What should I do if my child has been underwater, seems unusually limp, or may have experienced a drowning incident?
- If there’s any abnormality in consciousness or breathing, if the child is unusually limp or sleepy, or a drowning incident seems possible, call Japan’s emergency number, 119, without hesitation — don’t use a phone consultation line as a substitute in this situation. For less urgent questions about a child’s sudden symptoms, a regional consultation service can help: in Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare runs #8000, a nationwide pediatric phone line. Readers outside Japan should use their own country’s emergency number and pediatric helpline instead.
(Source: About the Child Medical Phone Consultation Service (#8000) | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
A paddling pool can be a genuinely enjoyable summer experience for a child. This is why, at TamagoDaruma, our suggestion isn’t “avoid it because it’s dangerous” — it’s designing safety in before the water goes in.
The precautions for paddling pools aren’t all that unusual. Don’t look away even in shallow water. Don’t let supervision gaps open up. Check the heat. Drain the water once play is over. Turning these basics into your family’s own rules makes water play something you can enjoy with real peace of mind.
From the TamagoDaruma Editorial Team
Paddling pool safety measures aren’t meant to make parents anxious. If anything, they’re preparation for enjoying water play together as a family. Preparing the environment in advance allows children to enjoy water play while helping adults feel confident about safety — and that preparation is what makes relaxed, happy summer memories possible.
