Swimming is a classic summer activity. It’s a great way to stay physically active and it’s a ton of fun! For all the fun you and your kids can have while swimming, it can also be dangerous, especially for kids. The good news is that there are some things you can do to keep your kids safe when swimming.
Stay Close and Watch Constantly
It’s not enough to casually watch your kids while they’re swimming. You need to stay focused on watching them and do so constantly. This is not the time to let your mind wander. You can’t afford to become distracted by a friend or your phone. It may seem rude to ignore people or dismiss them and stay focused on your kids, but that’s exactly what they need you to do so they can enjoy the water safely.
Practice Touch Supervision for Small Children
If you’re taking small children swimming, touch supervision is the best way to keep them safe. Touch supervision means you’re within touching distance of them at all times. That allows you to pull them out of the water if their head is submerged. Again, make sure your attention is focused entirely on child supervision.
Invest in Swim Lessons
There isn’t a way to drown-proof anyone, but learning to swim well and how to be safe around the water can greatly reduce the risk of drowning. Swim lessons teach all of those things. SwimJim starts swim lessons for children as young as 8 weeks old with our Swim N Splash classes (with a caregiver present, of course). Starting at 6 months, babies can join our Swimfants class, where they’ll start learning water safety skills. These early classes get children familiar with the water at an early age. Don’t worry if you haven’t started your kids in swim lessons that early though. It’s never too late to start learning basic swimming skills and self-rescue techniques.
Safety should always come first whenever you take your kids swimming. It’s the foundation that supports any good water fun. In addition to taking measures to ensure safety from the outset, make sure you know what to do if an emergency arises. That way you’ll be prepared to spring into action at a moment’s notice rather than trying to figure out what to do when seconds matter.
Swim lessons teach your child the skills they need to be safe in the water. Not sure what level to sign them up for? Click here to see the swim lesson levels offered at SwimJim today!