Hello Pool Forum experts. I am buying a 12'x24'x54" BF oval AG pool really soon (today or tomorrow if all goes well). I want 54" depth for my tall 9 year old and grown-ups. But I'm a bit concerned about my 6 year old son.

My family:
6yr old: 48" (43" to mouth, 47" tippy toes to mouth)
9yr old: 58" (53" to mouth)
Wife: 63" (57" to mouth, 62" tippy toes to mouth)


QUESTION:
1. How do I make at least part of the pool shallow enough to be safe for my 6 year old.

2. Should I just buy a shallower pool instead?


MY INITIAL THOUGHTS:
HIGH BOTTOM UNDER LINER: One idea I had was leveling out with extra sand in bottom before setting the liner. I was thinking it might be safe to do this for 2" making pool a 52" pool.

SKIMMER DOWN: I don't want to move the skimmer down as this is a one-way step... unless there are skimmers that work over 4"-6" range (54" down to 48").

SHALLOW END!?: Constructing shallow end with sand/rock/whatever before setting liner sounds like a recipe for disaster. Unbalanced force on "deep" end of pool would likely cave wall in. Pool liner won't stretch well to irregular bottom either unless it is an expandable liner (designed for deep end AG pools).

PLATFORM IN POOL: Constructing platform that I can insert or remove from pool sounds like a safe option. However automatic cleaners will probably have fits or can't clean platform area. Also I'd need to figure out right materials and construction techniques that won't rust, float to top, or most importantly run any risk of having a kid get caught/trapped underwater.

CAKE STEPS: Good solution, but only allows access to very small part of the pool. Kids like to jump around the entire pool and play. Also harder to clean around.

The more I think about this problem the more I'm thinking I need to either buy a shallower pool OR build up the sand to make pool 48" deep before setting the liner... which defeats the purpose of getting a deeper pool unless we redesign it several years from now.

OK Experts and experienced pool parents, your turn to chime in!