Suche
Mein Konto
Outdoor pool in Bargteheide: New swimming rules for children from 2026!
Stricter outdoor pool rules in Bargteheide from 2026: Evidence of swimming ability for children under 14 years ensures more safety.
Outdoor pool in Bargteheide: New swimming rules for children from 2026!
From 2026, the outdoor pool in Bargteheide will have new rules for visitors under 14 years of age. The outdoor pool management is reacting to the alarming swimming ability of children in the region. In the future, children and young people will either have to prove their ability to swim or should be accompanied by an adult if they want to enter the water. Outdoor pool manager Beatrix Jahn makes it clear that the seahorse badge is not enough; Instead, the German swimming badge in bronze is a prerequisite for safe swimming.
This measure has its roots in the current DLRG statistics, which show that one in five primary school children between the ages of six and ten cannot swim. This represents a significant safety risk, especially in times with high visitor numbers, which can reach up to 3,000 people on peak days. Jahn knows that this could also limit the independence of children and young people, but is convinced that this will create important safety standards.
Parents and swimming ability
As the DLRG reports, 57 percent of children are classified by their parents as safe swimmers, which is a positive value, but 58 percent of children are left behind at the end of primary school because they have not acquired a swimming certificate. A look at parent ratings shows that 26 percent of six-year-olds are considered safe swimmers - a figure that increases with age: 83 percent of parents of ten-year-olds are confident that their child can swim well.
A common misconception is that the seahorse already certifies safe swimming. According to the DLRG, this incorrect assessment is widespread and could be dangerous. Finally, the Seahorse only certifies mastery of the basics, while the Bronze Swimming Badge is required as proof of safe swimming.
Safety features in the outdoor pool
The new regulation could also create challenges for parents, who may need to check their children's swimming skills and invest in swimming lessons. According to the DLRG, the increase in non-swimmers and the decline in unsafe swimmers indicate that there is a clear need for action. The outdoor pool manager is therefore planning to offer more swimming courses before the current season ends. These efforts could be followed not only in Bargteheide, but also in other outdoor pools that also want to introduce better safety standards.
This makes it clear that the safety of swimmers should be the top priority for both outdoor pools and parents. The coming changes in Bargteheide could be a first step in this direction to make more children safe swimmers.