When it comes to choosing children’s swimwear, parents and care givers often face a wide variety of design options, from bold neon colours to soft pastel hues. While fashion, comfort, and fit are key considerations, there's an often-overlooked factor that could be just as important: visibility. The colour of your child’s swimwear plays a crucial role in their safety, especially when they’re in or around water. So, which is better for safety—neon or pastel colours? Let’s dive into the safety aspects of both.

Neon Colours: High Visibility, High Safety

Neon or bright colours like fluorescent yellow, neon orange, hot pink, and lime green are widely known for their high visibility, particularly in outdoor or busy environments like pools, beaches, and lakes. These bright hues stand out clearly against the blue of the ocean, the green of a pool, or the sandy background of a beach.

Key Safety Benefits of Neon Colours:

Increased Visibility in Crowded Areas: When children are swimming in busy places with multiple people in the water, neon colours make it significantly easier to spot them. Whether it’s at a crowded public pool or a beach with many people, a neon swimsuit can be seen from a distance, allowing parents or lifeguards to quickly spot a child in distress.

Better Detection in Murky or Choppy Water: Neon colours are particularly helpful in situations where water is not perfectly clear. Whether swimming in murky lakes, pools with low visibility, or oceans with waves, bright neon hues contrast sharply with the natural environment, making it easier for rescuers or parents to locate a child.

Enhanced Safety in Low-Light Conditions: Even during early morning or late afternoon hours, neon colours are easier to spot compared to other colours. If your child is swimming near dusk or dawn, bright neon colours provide an extra layer of security, ensuring that they remain visible even in low light.

Pastel Colours: A Softer, Less Visible Option

Pastel colours, including soft pinks, pale blues, mint greens, and light lavenders, are often associated with a more delicate, serene aesthetic. While they are popular for their soothing and trendy looks, they come with significant visibility drawbacks when it comes to water safety.

Safety Drawbacks of Pastel Colours:

Reduced Visibility in Water: Pastel shades, due to their light and muted nature, tend to blend into the natural colours of water. For instance, light blues or pale pinks can be difficult to spot in clear pools or in shallow ocean waters. In crowded environments, a child in pastel swimwear may become lost among the other swimmers, which increases the risk of an emergency situation going unnoticed.

Challenges in Murky or Dark Water: In murky lakes, rivers, or stormy ocean conditions, pastel colours become harder to distinguish. Water that is discolored, cloudy, or choppy can obscure pastel-coloured swimwear, potentially making it harder for parents or lifeguards to locate their child quickly.

Less Effective During Low-Light Conditions: Just like with murky water, pastel colours aren’t as visible during twilight or cloudy weather. A child in pastel swimwear might be harder to see, which could delay response time in critical situations.

Why Safety Matters When Choosing Swimwear Colours

Water-related accidents, such as drowning, can happen quickly and silently. According to Royal Life Saving Society Australia, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in children, especially in those under the age of five. Many of these incidents occur in crowded or unpredictable water environments, such as public pools, beaches, and lakes, where visibility can become a major issue. Ensuring that your child is wearing highly visible swimwear could be a game-changer in preventing these tragedies.

Neon colours, due to their eye-catching nature, significantly increase the likelihood that a child will be spotted in a critical moment, allowing for quicker responses from parents, lifeguards, or bystanders.

When choosing children’s swimwear, safety should always come first. Neon colours, with their high visibility, provide an extra layer of protection, especially in crowded or low-light environments. On the other hand, pastel colours, while trendy and visually appealing, offer less visibility and could potentially compromise safety in certain situations. Ultimately, the ideal choice depends on the environment, but opting for bright, neon swimwear is the safest choice for kids, ensuring they remain visible and protected while enjoying their time in the water.