Council and emergency services chiefs are reminding people about the dangers of playing near open water.
The warning comes following the death of young boys who fell into an icy lake in Solihull.
Parents are being asked to highlight the dangers of open water to children.
Cllr Victoria Wilson, communities leader at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We are all deeply saddened with the deaths of the boys in Solihull and our thoughts are very much with their families and friends.
“We know it can be tempting to play near or on frozen lakes and ponds but I want to remind people that this can be extremely dangerous. There is no way of telling how thick the ice is and the water underneath will be freezing.
“I would urge parents and carers to teach children not to play or go on to any waters under any circumstances.”
Cllr Victoria Wilson, Staffordshire County Council
Rob Barber, Chief Fire Officer at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the boys that have tragically died in Solihull.
“Frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs can look picturesque, but they can be extremely dangerous.
“We would ask parents and carers to remind their children of the dangers of ice, and why they must keep off it.”
Rob Barber, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service