5 Ways to Teach Your Kids Water Safety

One of the biggest causes of death for teenagers and toddlers ages 1 to 4 is drowning. Therefore, it is crucial to teach children about water safety. Less than 20 seconds can pass before someone drowns. Usually, it is quiet and not dramatic like in a movie, like slipping under the water and being helpless to scream for help. Because of this, everyone should learn to respect the water, regardless of age.

At Swimteam Prakash, children are only introduced to swimming once they have a firm grasp of water safety. Teaching children water safety involves more than just reminding them to be careful; it also consists of a set of particular actions that both adults and kids should do to ensure their safety around any body of water, whether it be a swimming pool, spa, wading pool, or open water.

While swimming is a crucial life skill to learn, parents and caregivers at home should start teaching their kids about water safety before they begin taking swimming lessons. Here are five ways to educate your kids about water safety:

1. No Kids In The Pool Without Adult Supervision

Remind your children that they must wait until an adult is in the water to keep an eye on them before allowing them to enter the pool. When near a pool, never – not even for a second – leave small children unattended or in the care of another child.

2. No Water Wings Allowed

Parents often think of water wings as a way to keep their children safe and secure at the pool, but they merely give children a false sense of security. Water wings are not meant to save lives and can easily slip off a child’s arms. The same is true for swim toys like swim rings, swim noodles, and rafts; these are toys, not safety equipment. Choose life jackets instead of flotation devices since they are safer and more correctly fitted.

3. Get Your Kids Familiarised With The Water

Acclimatisation is the first step to water safety and, eventually, for your child to enjoy swimming. Getting your child used to having water on their face is the most basic way you can start acclimatising them. Pouring glasses of water over your child’s face in the bathtub before adding soap can do this.

Breathing control is another skill to teach your kids. Breathing control can be practised by first holding one’s breath before advancing to underwater bubble blowing. Again, making the lessons enjoyable and age-appropriate is crucial at this point. A child may develop a lifelong dread of the water if they are forced to practice activities they are not ready for.

 

4. Teach Kids To Float Before Learning How To Swim

One of the most crucial water safety abilities is the ability to float on one’s back. Start by offering a lot of support when teaching kids this ability. Your kid should rest their head on your shoulder like a pillow, with your one hand on the small of their back and the other on the back of their shoulder.

Instruct them to form their arms into an aeroplane, their legs into a “V” shape, and lift their stomachs to the sky. Support them and encourage them to breathe in and out as you assist them in relaxing. Then, teach your child to kick lightly to raise their hips if their legs slump.

 

5. Model Good Water Safety Behaviour

Children observe adults as examples; therefore, always act as you would like to see them do. That entails being vigilant about water safety whenever you’re around a body of water. 

For instance, if you intend to swim in open water at your neighbourhood beach, educate your children on the water safety precautions you take, such as checking the weather online, adhering to safety flags and signs, watching out for rip currents, and only swimming with a companion. Children are more inclined to emulate people who have appropriate respect for water.

Conclusion

Here at SwimTeam Prakash, we strive to help children become competent and safe swimmers with our swimming lessons. The most crucial thing is that we encourage kids to enjoy themselves while acquiring the essential life skill of swimming.

Our warm and stress-free environment is the perfect setting for our NROC certified Swimming Instructors to teach your young children the important life skill of swimming. To get a jump start, get in touch with us today!

 

Find us here!

– Yishun Swimming Complex 351 Yishun Ave 3, Singapore 769057

– Woodlands Swimming Complex 3 Woodlands Street 13, 738600

– Sengkang Swimming Complex 57 Anchorvale Rd, 544964

– Bukit Canberra Swimming Complex 21 Canberra Link, S’pore 752350