Water Safety and Swimming

From oceans to lakes to streams to swimming pools, water is everywhere: 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in it! And while water can be an irresistible place for kids to explore, play and enjoy splashy fun, it can be risky for those who haven’t yet developed their water smarts.

Safety Around Water Program

Safety Around Water consists of eight lessons designed to teach kids water safety skills that help reduce the risk of drowning and build their skills and confidence in and around water. A typical session includes:

• Exercises to help kids adjust to being in the water
• Instruction in two skill sets kids can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water: Jump, Push, Turn, Grab and Swim, Float Swim.
• Safety topics like what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help
• Fun activities that reinforce skills

Swim Lessons

The Y introduced the country to group swim lessons over 110 years ago in 1909. Now, as one of the largest community-based organizations in the country, we teach more than a million children, especially those most at-risk of drowning, invaluable water safety and swimming skills each year.

There are three general categories of Y Swim Lessons:

• Swim Starters helps children ages six months to three years develop swim readiness skills through fun experiences that build confidence. In addition, parents learn how to supervise children in the water, prevent accidents and plan for emergencies.
• Swim Basics enables students of all ages to gain basic water safety and swimming skills. Swimmers become comfortable and confident in the water through practicing safe water habits, engaging in underwater exploration and learning how to swim to safety if they fall into a body of water.
• Swim Strokes introduces and refines stroke technique in older swimmers (school-age, teens and adults). Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that can help prevent chronic disease, increase overall well-being and foster a lifetime of physical activity.

Water Safety Tips for Parents and Guardians

• Make sure kids know to always ask permission before going into or near water.
• Designate a responsible adult to be a Water Watcher and maintain constant visual contact with all children playing in or near the water.
• Water Watchers: make sure you’re not distracted by your phone, a book or other tasks.
• Don’t rely on water toys to protect weak swimmers. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are the only water safety devices certified to protect children.
• Teach children to avoid drains in the pool: drains can cause them to get trapped under the water.
• Don’t let kids play breath-holding games. They can easily lose consciousness.