Buckets, Coolers and Containers: Hidden Drowning Risks for Toddlers

Toddlers can drown in buckets, coolers and other containers because they tip in headfirst and can't push themselves back out, and it takes only a few inches of water. The fix is a habit: empty every container the moment you're done, and turn it upside down.

These risks hide in plain sight because nobody thinks of a mop bucket as "water." This guide shows where containers collect water and how to make emptying them automatic.

Why a toddler can't climb out

2 inches

Young children have big heads and short arms. When a toddler leans over a bucket to splash or grab a toy, their weight carries them forward.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) explains what happens next. With a 5-gallon bucket, the tall, straight sides combined with its stability make it nearly impossible for top-heavy infants to free themselves when they topple in headfirst (opens in a new tab). CPSC has also warned that a 5-gallon bucket is dangerous even when only partly filled, because its weight makes it unlikely to tip over when a child uses it to pull up (opens in a new tab).

Babies are even more at risk. The AAP says babies can topple headfirst into the toilet bowl and be unable to get themselves out (opens in a new tab), and the same is true of any container at their height.

This is part of why more children ages 1 to 4 die from drowning than any other cause (opens in a new tab) (CDC). The good news: container drownings are among the easiest to prevent.

Containers people forget

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to completely empty containers whenever they're not in use (opens in a new tab), and names buckets, wading pools, coolers with melted ice, pet water bowls, and trash or recycling bins that collect rainwater. CPSC adds that drownings also occur in pails, coolers, sinks, fish tanks and landscape ponds (opens in a new tab).

The empty-and-flip habit

Habits beat memory. Make these three moves automatic:

1. Empty it now. CPSC advises that all containers with liquids be emptied immediately after use (opens in a new tab). "In a minute" is when accidents happen.
2. Flip it or cover it. CPSC also says not to leave empty containers in yards or around the house where they may collect water and attract young children (opens in a new tab). An upside-down bucket can't fill with rain.
3. Put it up or away. Store buckets and coolers on a high shelf or behind a closed door.

The AAP's simplest rule covers everything else: never leave a filled, open-top water container unattended (opens in a new tab).

Cleaning days, parties and pets

Some days carry more risk because the routine breaks.

Cleaning days. A full bucket sitting while you move furniture, answer a call or change a diaper is the classic set-up. Finish one room at a time and empty the bucket between rooms. If a young child is awake, keep them in the room with you, or keep the bucket in a room with the door closed.

Parties and picnics. Coolers fill with meltwater over a long afternoon. Drain them as you go, and check the yard for drinks buckets, ice tubs and toy pails before the party ends. Busy, distracted moments are when young children slip away. See drowning when nobody is swimming.

Pets. Large dog bowls, outdoor water troughs and pet pools all count as containers. Keep them where crawlers can't get to them, or behind a gate.

After the rain. Walk the yard after a storm. Tarps, toys, sandboxes, planters and bins all collect water. The backyard water hazards guide covers ponds, barrels and ditches.

What you can do today

1. Find every bucket and cooler in your home, garage and car. Empty them and store them upside down.
2. Run the home audit. The Home water hazard audit walks you through each room.
3. Close the lids on outdoor bins, and bring outdoor buckets inside or store them upside down.
4. Tell everyone who cleans or watches your child about the empty-and-flip habit.
5. Print the checklist. The Home Water Safety Checklist has every container on one page. For the whole house, use the room-by-room hazard checklist, and for this age group see water safety for toddlers.