At Goldfish, safety is always our number one priority. While we like to have fun, our team of CPR, First Aid and shallow water certified swim instructors always have their eyes on the water. We know you sign your children up for swim lessons with drowning prevention in mind, but water safety is truly a family effort. That’s why we’re putting a little extra emphasis on safety techniques with students and parents alike for our annual Safety Week.

We can’t deny the facts; water can be dangerous in the bath or the pool. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old. No matter the weather, drowning can happen at any time of year.

Parents can start Safety Week off right with one simple principle: Never leave your child unattended around water. Be sure to eliminate any distractions, and pay full attention to their movements in the water. Around the house, make an effort to empty any buckets or plastic swimming pools after their use. Babies can drown in as little as an inch of water.

During Safety Week, Goldfish instructors will continue building on skills like the backstroke and the Sea Otter Float, but this time, we’ll add some important life-saving context. Here’s what you can expect in class:

  • In our Mini Classes, we’ll introduce parents to U.S. Coast Guard-approved life-jackets, which are required for young children when riding in the open decks of boats in many states. You can even take some of the fun safety skills you’ll both learn home with you in the bathtub; try blowing bubbles in the water with your child!
  • In our Junior Classes, we’ll really emphasize how important it is to be aware of your surroundings when you’re around the water, and the importance of having an adult around while swimming. Parents will be reminded to keep toys away from the water, and to provide a safe depth for swimming. As an added bonus, Juniors will get to practice fun skills like rolling over and Sea Otter floats.
  • Goldfish Beginners will also be reminded of the importance of awareness around the water, as well as basic pool rules. Remember when the lifeguard would yell at you for running across the pool deck? A slip and fall could be a disaster for your child or someone else in the pool.
  • Glider, Star and Pro students will work on mastering their pool safety rules and swimming strokes, as well as treading water for a set period of time. They’ll also have fun practicing their Elementary Backstroke!

Of course, we’ll sweeten the deal for covering such heavy topics. Once swimmers complete their special safety skills, they’ll leave with an official Safety Week certificate and ribbon. Parents will leave with the peace of mind that comes with safe water practices!

Still thinking about enrolling your child in swim lessons for exercise, fun and water safety? Get the facts on our swim lesson levels, or stop in at the nearest Goldfish Swim School for more information.