Winter Water Safety Week 2024

The Importance of Year-Round Survival Skills

At Watermelon Swim, we know that the best summer swimmers are made in the winter! Winter Water Safety Week 2024 will take place from December 9th – 15th and will feature our special lesson program that raises awareness about water safety and drowning prevention.

During Water Safety Week, our little melons can expect to experience the same life-saving skills they receive each week, with some added twists. We encourage our swimmers to come to class fully clothed to experience what it would feel like to fall in the water with clothes on. Clothes are often heavier than swimsuits. This exercise will get them familiar with practicing skills fully clothed should that situation arise.

Additionally, we will be using life jackets so that our students can experience the proper technique to swim wearing a Coast Guard approved floatation device. Our fun and engaging water safety lessons will keep our students entertained while they learn, with colorful water safety posters featuring Slyce and his friends, and skills practice that is sure to please.

Water Safety Week education does not stop in the pool. We will be hosting Water Safety presentations in our lobby during every class to give parents and guardians the tools and resources they need to be water safer.

We can’t wait to spend Water Safety Week with you all, and to continue our mission of growing a community of safer swimmers!

Water Safety Tips

Swimming lessons reduce a child’s risk of drowning by 88%
The safest place in the water is on your back floating so you can breath and call for help
A child can drown in less that 1 inch of water
Drowning is SILENT and takes less than 2 minutes
Never use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision
Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1 – 4
Always stay within arm’s reach of young children and avoid distractions

Layers of Protection

No measure can ever guarantee that children are safe in, on, and around water. It is only human for adults to sometimes lapse in their supervision of children in the home or while out and about. Children can and do find ways over fences, and even those who have had swimming lessons can still drown. For this reason, the SAFER swimming message promotes the application of various layers to protect children from drowning – if one layer ‘fails’ then there is another behind it that may save their life. Layers of protection include: