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SAFETY AROUND WATER

The World is 71% Water. Children Are 100% Curious. 

 

water

 

HOW THE Y HELPS KEEP KIDS SAFE IN AND AROUND THE WATER

Two Programs, Three Goals: Have Fun, Be Confident, Stay Safe

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WHAT IS SAFETY AROUND WATER? 

This 8-day course, taught by a certified instructor, can reduce the risk of drowning and give kids the confidence in and around water. A typical session includes:

  • Exercises to help children adjust to being in water
  • Instruction in "Jump, Push, Turn, Grab" and "Swim, Float, Swim" - two skill sets children can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water
  • A fun game to encourage comfort and activity around water

 

Swim Lessons

The Y is “America’s Swim Instructor” and the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. The Y introduced the country to the concept of group swim lessons more than 100 years ago, and each year, the Y teaches more than a million children invaluable water safety and swimming skills. As one of the largest community-based organizations in the country, the Y owns or manages over 2,000 pools. Thanks to its size and reach, the Y is in a unique position to help bridge the gap in the delivery of swim lessons and water safety education in the U.S.—especially in underserved communities.

 

There are three general categories of Y Swim Lessons:

  • Swim Starters develops water enrichment and aquatic readiness in children ages six months to three years. This category focuses on developing swim readiness skills through fun and confidence-building experiences. Parents also learn how to supervise children in the water, how to prevent accidents and how to plan for emergencies.
  • Swim Basics develops personal water safety and basic swimming skills in students of all ages. Swimmers develop a high level of comfort in the water by practicing safe water habits, engaging in underwater exploration, and learning how to swim to safety and exit if they fall into a body of water.
  • Swim Strokes introduces and refines stroke technique in older students (school age, teens and adults). Having mastered the fundamentals, students learn additional water safety skills and build stroke technique, developing skills that prevent chronic disease, increase social-emotional and cognitive well-being and foster a lifetime of physical activity.

 

Help Keep Your Child Safe

Drowning can happen nearly anywhere with standing water. But, as a parent or caregiver, you can’t keep your children sidelined. You need to equip them with the tools they need to be confident in and around water so they don’t lose out on the health benefits of exercise, the opportunities to bond with family and friends and the sense of accomplishment when they learn new skills.