SAFETY WEEK DATES
Monday, May 8 – Sunday, May 14
DID YOU KNOW…
That 10 people drown every day in the United States? Did you know drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 – 5? Those are pretty sobering statistics. A big part of our mission and curriculum is teaching our students to be respectful of all bodies of water and giving them some helpful tools to use if trouble should arise.
OUR MAIN FOCUS
- Educate our students on the use of life jackets | Ages 15 Months & Older
- How to react in the water fully clothed | Ages 14 Months & Older
- How to respond to swimming without goggles | Ages 3 Yrs Old & Older — optional
We will run a regular lesson plan during this week. We highly encourage everyone to participate and wear clothes on the appropriate week. If the child is uncomfortable with having clothes and shoes on, they can remove them after Safety Circles/Polar Bear Floats are completed or perform the lesson in typical attire.
WHAT TO WEAR
- Old clothes you don’t mind getting wet and possibly fade
- Pants or shorts
- T-shirt
- Old tennis shoes
- Please be sure to wear your swimsuit underneath your clothing this week
WHY FULLY CLOTHED?
Drowning and water-related accidents don’t just happen when children are in a swimsuit. Kids can fall into a pool or other body of water while fully clothed. Most child drowning victims are found with their clothes on.
Falling into a pool of water with clothes on can produce fear and hysteria in an otherwise calm swimmer. Sometimes one minor thing (such as not being in a bathing suit) can throw a child completely off and cause him or her to forget the skills they have learned. We want your kids to know that although it may feel strange to roll over or swim to the wall with clothes on, it is still something they can and should do when in the water.
Even if your child doesn’t know any water safety skills yet, this practice can help them react quickly and prevent panic until someone can rescue them. A little time can make a big difference in an emergency. Our teachers will make every swimmer as comfortable as possible and ensure all students have fun during safety week.
