With summer right around the corner, you may be planning trips for beach visits or water park day trips. But if you have young kids, you may want to make sure everyone is safe and trained on proper swimming before you hit those waves.
For Older Children
If your kids are older, such as kids over ten years old, they may already know how to swim. But just knowing how to swim is the first stage of being prepared when going out swimming, especially at beaches. Make sure your kids are aware of any and all safety protocols at the location itself. If it’s at a beach, make sure to point out the lifeguard posts and where the lifesavers are located (typically next to the lifeguards). Make sure they wear a life vest, even if they are complaining the entire time. And be sure to set rules on how far they can swim (if at all), how often they should check in and how often they should apply sunscreen. Just because your kid knows how to swim doesn’t always translate into them knowing how to be safe out on the water!
For Younger Children
If your children are younger, it is imperative that they have swimming lessons. Even if you live in the desert, there can always be a need for kids to know how to swim, and the younger your child is, the easier it will be for them to learn and improve their swimming. They may even find that they love to swim!
If you feel comfortable enough, you can teach your kids to swim at the local YMCA or if you own a pool. You can help them learn the basics and even just float if they feel a little intimidated. But if you feel like they need a pro, you can also look to the YMCA or other community locations for a swimming teacher, and find a class that works for you and your child.
Hit the Water!
When your younger kids start to get some swimming lessons under their belt, visiting the beaches or water parks can be a little more inclusive for them. Obviously, they will still need to be supervised and won’t be able to go on all the water park rides, but they can at least get their feet wet! Make sure you also point out the lifeguards to them and fit them in a proper life vest.
Katie Kyzivat