Drowning Prevention Week is June 14 – June 24. Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for infants and young children between the ages of 1 – 4 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bear Paddle’s mission is to save lives by teaching children how to swim. Learning water safety skills at a young age is crucial as children are exposed to water every day, no matter where they live. While swimming can be a fun way to spend the summer, it’s important to remember that swimming can also be dangerous. By talking about water safety at home, you can help your children become lifelong safe swimmers!
What can you do to promote water safety?
- Always have a grown up watching.
- Enter feet first, and never jump if you don’t know how deep the water is.
- Watch the weather. If outdoors, it’s not safe to swim during storms or conditions where storms might be likely.
- Know your surroundings. Make sure to review emergency safe zones, where lifeguards are, and how to exit the body of water safely.
- Use the buddy system. Everything is more fun and safer with a friend!
Bear Paddle’s Teddy Bear Program teaches children safety skills and to prepare themselves to swim safe in the event of a water emergency. Learn more about our teddy program today and how you can keep your swimmer safe in and around water this summer!