A pool cover is probably the last place most parents would think of as a playground. But that did not stop mum and lifestyle content creator Kimberly Dixon from letting her children play on one. What appeared to be a playful family moment has now divided social media. While some viewers are calling it harmless, others are saying the idea is genuinely frightening.
The children can be seen running across the automatic cover while the swimming pool sits underneath them. Dixon said she was confident the cover could support her children, but the clip has raised a bigger question among viewers. Just because something can support weight, does that mean it is safe for children to play on it?
Kids Playing on Pool Cover
Dixon shared the video with text suggesting the pool cover was cooler than their actual pool, as her children ran across it.
The caption read: 'Said they felt like Jesus 😂🙏🏼 I was shocked when they told us it will hold 1000lbs!!' She added that her husband, Alexander, was the first to walk across it and so she felt confident it would hold their children.
Some followers saw the moment as playful and fun. One person said: 'This is what it feel like to run in my dreams.' Another wrote: 'This absolutely looks so fun🙌🙌'
Viewers Call It Too Dangerous
On the other hand, some social media users were uncomfortable with the viral video.
They compared the activity to teaching children that other potentially dangerous surfaces are safe simply because an adult is supervising. One comment read: 'Like teaching your children to run in the street because "it's fun and they're supervised".'
Others said they had grown up being warned specifically about pool covers and could not understand why anyone would treat one as a play area. 'I was more scared of my pool cover as a child than the actual pool. God forbid it breaks and sucks you under when no one is around,' one user added.
Some also pointed out that even a cover designed to withstand substantial weight is not necessarily designed for repeated running, jumping or playing. 'Even if it is safe (our pool cover claims it can hold the weight of an elephant), it's made that way for ACCIDENTS. Not specifically to play on,' another person wrote.
Other comments were blunt, with one saying: 'Omg this is so dangerous. Terrifying to even look at. How can people be so fucking stupid??'
The most chilling reactions came from people sharing personal experiences. One commenter recalled knowing someone whose brother was left disabled following a pool-cover accident. Another described nearly drowning at 17 after swimming beneath a pool cover and becoming unable to get clear when the cover pressed against their face.
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Inside 'Mumfluencer' Culture
Dixon's video reflects the growing 'mumfluencer' trend, with mothers using parenting, family routines and children's activities as social media content. While this can foster relatable communities, it can also turn everyday parenting choices into public debates.
A 2025 study published in PLOS ONE examined over 5,000 Instagram posts from 10 British motherhood influencers. Children appeared in 75% of the posts analysed, while 46% of posts featuring children included sponsorship or product promotion. The researchers said the findings highlighted questions around children's privacy and the commercial use of their images.
For Dixon, the pool cover video may have been a fun family moment. But online, it ignited a wider debate about parenting, safety and what should be shared publicly.
