Heading to the pool or waterpark is always a fun and exciting day. No matter what pool or water park you go to, these 5 must-know safety tips will help you and your family have a safe and splash-tastic time!
Tip 1: Always swim with a buddy while a lifeguard is on duty.
Swimming with a buddy is not just about having a good time, it's also about water safety. When swimming with someone you know, there is another person who can call a lifeguard should an emergency arise.
Lifeguards are trained professional rescuers whose primary responsibiliy is to prevent emergencies from occuring. Should an emergency arise, Lifeguards would know which care to provide to help save or sustain a life. Swimming under a lifeguard's supervision is another added layer of protection while enjoying a pool or waterpark with your friends and family.
Tip 2: Always look at the lifeguard when they blow their whistle. Be sure to follow their directions.
A lifeguard most often uses a whistle as a way to get a swimmer's attention when they need to communicate water safety rules. Lifeguards also use whistles in the event of an emergency, such as a rescue needing to be performed or having to clear the pool due to thunder and lightning. Regardless of the reason why the lifeguard blows their whistle, your response should be the same:
Every time you hear a whistle blow, it's important to
stop, stand up, and look at the lifeguard. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the lifeguard is trying to get your attention. By looking at the lifeguard, you will be able to recognize if the lifeguard is speaking to you. Even if the lifeguard is not speaking to you, you should pay close attention to what the guard is saying becuase you might learn something new.
Tip 3: Know where the lifeguard office is and who to ask for help in case of an emergency.
An emergency can be a very stressful situation for adults and children. It's important to take a tour of the facility with your kids to locate the lifeguard station and stands prior to jumping in!
This will teach your swimmers where to go and who they should go to in the event that someone needs help. Teach your children then when they ask a lifeguard for help it's important to tell the lifeguard their name and what happened.
Tip 4: Look before you jump in.
Sometimes pool and waterparks can be very busy, while other times it seems like your family has the whole place to themselves. Regardless of the number of people at the facility, it's always important to look and be aware of your surroundings before you jump in.
The two most important things to look for are:
Tip 5: Become familiar with any specific facility rules and be sure to follow them.
Every facility's rules are slightly different due to the structures and attractions on sight. For example, a facility with a water slide would have additional regulations than a facility without a waterslide. Knowing and understanding the rules of each attraction will help swimmers make water-safe decisions when swimming.
You can usually find the pool rules listed on the sign when you first arrive at the facility. Most of the time, facilities have specific rules posted near each attraction. Be sure to review it with your swimmers before they start playing.
What to learn more tips on how to teach your children about water safety?
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We believe it's important that everyone should have the skills and knowledge necessary to stay safe in, on, and around the water. We also know that everyone learns differently. There are primarily three different types of learners:
To support our communities, families, and swimmers, we've come up with a list of activities that can support different learners in all learning one important lifesaving topic...Water Safety! Different Activities To Teach Kids About Water Safety Read stories about water safety and swimming. Both fiction and non-fiction texts are great. Check out our book list here. Show A Photo of Earth and have a discussion:
Come up with a list of fun activities you can do on the water. Identify water-smart tips that someone may need to know when participating in those activities. Go on an adventure to a local pool, waterpark, lake, river, stream, ocean. Show them the differences between the way the water moves, posted signs that should be read, and safe places to swim. Sign your little one up for swim lessons! Have some other creative ways you've taught your swimmer about water safety? Help other families by sharing them in the comments below!
When it comes to raising water competent children, it is essential that the conversation doesn't just happen in swim lessons. The conversation must continue at home. When children see a connection between things they learn in lessons to things they hear their family talk about, they learn that water safety is something their family values and therefore must be important. We recognized that raising water competent swimmers can be a challenge, especially if you do not have a strong swimming foundation. To support you, we've come up with some topics on what to talk about and some important times to talk with your swimmers. What do I talk about with my swimmer? Water competency means that your swimmer not only has strong swimming skills but also knows how to make smart choices in ANY type of water. The conversation starts with teaching your swimmer about the water in and around your home. Here are some questions you can ask your swimmers when talking about water safety at home:
Remember every swimmer is at a different stage in their development and understanding of water safety. When you start talking about water safety, keep in mind that you will want to start where your child is at. Consider connecting new information with the knowledge they already have. When is a good time to talk about water safety? "My days are so incredibly busy with taking our children to/ from school, after-school activities, playdates, birthday parties, and more! We have to cook, clean, bathe, work, go grocery shopping, help my kids with homework, and sleep. I hardly have time to relax. Now you want me to talk about water safety? Isn't that what I'm paying a swim instructor for? Lady, are you out of your mind." Do those thoughts sound familiar? We hear you! Parenting is hard! Our days are crazy! And YES, the swim instructor is the expert! We also know that YOU CAN DO THIS!
Before you go tossing in the towel, check out these logical times throughout our insane days where you can naturally chat about the water with your swimmers...
Talking about water safety doesn't need to be a huge undertaking. The best water safety conversations are those that are specific and relevant. Talking about water safety before heading to the beach or taking a bath will help your swimmer remember those safe water habits you've been modeling and practicing while having fun! Remember that starting the conversation at a young age, consistently talking about water safety, and modeling water safety habits will help build a water competent swimmer! YOU GOT THIS! Fact or Fiction: My kids are water competent because they can swim in a pool. (Part 3 of 3)10/18/2021 FICTION! Another tricky one! A water-competent person has water smarts, swimming skills, and the ability to help others while engaging in water activities in, on, or around ANY body of water. You should not assume that someone who is a competent swimmer in the pool will be a competent swimmer in open water. How do I support my kids in becoming water competent?
Practice swimming with your swimmer in a variety of aquatic environments Reason 1: Open water has a lot of characteristics, attributes, and features that an enclosed swimming pool does not. When swimming in open water, swimmers should be knowledgeable about currents, rip currents, tides, riptides, undertows, and jetties. Reason 2: Always remember to practice under the supervision of a certified lifeguard! Enjoying the open water can be a wonderful summertime or vacation experience. Swimming with a certified lifeguard on duty ensures that you have a safe and positive water experience. Reason 3: Responses to water emergencies are also different depending on which type of water you are swimming in. Completing swim lessons up to and including Level 6 teaches swimmers basic water rescue skills in any body of water. You should continue to reinforce what should swimmers should do if they recognize a water emergency. Understanding the difference between each body of water will help you and your swimmer make smart decisions while swimming in any body of water. Check out our Water Competency Questionnaire to determine if your swimmers are Water Competent!
Fact or Fiction: My kids are water competent BECAUSE they go to swim lessons. (Part 2 of 3)10/11/2021 FICTION! This is a tricky one. While it's true water competency develops in swim lessons, it's important to remember that participation and engagement are essential parts of helping your children become water competent. Just attending swim lessons is not enough. Check out our tips for how to stay actively engaged before, during, and after swim lessons. How do I support my kids in becoming water competent?
Be active and engage before, during, and after lessons Before lessons...
During lessons...
After lessons...
Check out our Water Competency Questionnaire to determine if your swimmers are Water Competent! Stay tuned for part 3 or 3!
FICTION! Water competent kids know more than just each of the swimming strokes. They also have a solid understanding of the water and know what to do if they are involved in a water emergency. How do I support my kids in becoming water competent?
Completing ALL Learn-To-Swim Levels is essential to having water-competent kids! Check out these top three reasons why it's essential your children complete all the learn-to-swim levels to become water competent! Reason 1: A child who completes Level 3 has acquired just the basic/minimal swimming skills for swimming and water competency in a pool. A swimmer that a completed Level 3 skills have only learned about half of the survival swimming needed to truly stay safe in, on, and around the water. Swimming skills they have learned are:
Reason 2: Completing Levels 4, 5, and 6 gives your child the skills and endurance to be more competent in different bodies of water and activities, such as going to a waterpark or swimming in open water. Swimming skills they learn in levels 4-6:
Reason 3: Water competency is not just about swimming skills, it's also about knowing how to recognize and act in a water emergency. Level 6 swim lessons teach swimmers what to do to help themselves and others in a water emergency. Check out our Water Competency Questionnaire to determine if your swimmers are Water Competent! Stay tuned for Part 2 of 3!
According to the American Red Cross, to be water competent, one must know more than just how to swim. A water competent swimmer has water smarts, swimming skills, and the ability to help others while engaging in water activities in, on, or around any body of water. WATER SMARTS Someone who is water smart is a swimmer that understands the water, how it moves, and its hazards. A water smart swimmer knows the following water safety rules:
SWIMMING SKILLS The five basic water competency swimming skills all swimmers should be able to do in any body of water, such as pools, lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans are:
HELPING OTHERS Someone who had the ability to help others understand the following guidelines of how to help someone in a water emergency. They know:
If you or your loved ones are unsure about any of these skills or safety topics, connect with one of our instructors today and we will be glad to assist in teaching you and your family how to stay safe in, on, and around the water.
As a parent, you are your child's first teacher. Remember that your children learn what to do and what not to do by copying your behavior. When you are near water make sure to model safe water habits by:
Looking for more water safety tips at home, check out our Free Water Safety Guide!
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March 2022
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