Newsletter

As the weather warms up and families start spending more time at pools, beaches, and lakes, water safety becomes an essential concern for parents. We understand how important it is to feel confident that your child is safe in and around water.

To help you navigate this season with peace of mind, we sat down with the team over at Imagine Swimming and put together a quick guide on water safety, covering everything from swim readiness and supervision tips to ways you can reduce risk and build your child’s confidence in the water. We also love that Imagine Swimming supports the Hope Floats initiative, which helps make swim lessons more accessible to families in need.

When should children start swimming lessons?
The AAP recommends that children can start swim lessons as early as age 1, especially if they’re often around water. At this age, lessons may help reduce the risk of drowning and begin building water safety and confidence. For babies under 1 year, parent-child water play classes are totally fine and can be a great way to get babies comfortable in the water while spending quality time together.

How can you help your child feel comfortable in the water?
Consistency is key. Enrolling children in lessons early and attending regularly makes a significant difference in their comfort level. When spending time in the water outside of lessons, focus on fun, maintain a positive attitude, and model safe swimming behaviors. Encouraging imagination and play will help your child develop a love for swimming while reinforcing good habits.

What are some essential water safety rules for every child?

Are flotation devices safe?
While flotation devices like puddle jumpers and water wings may seem helpful, they can create a false sense of security and hinder safe swimming practices. Instead, focus on teaching children essential skills like floating, treading water, and reaching safety on their own.

How can parents tell if their child is truly water-safe?
Even if a child is a strong swimmer, no one is ever completely water-safe. Essential survival skills include breathing control, floating, treading water, and swimming to safety. However, adult supervision is always necessary—no matter how skilled a swimmer your child may be.

Are there any overlooked drowning risks?
Drowning can happen in just a few inches of water. Infants are most at risk in bathtubs, buckets, and even toilets. The biggest mistake parents can make is assuming that any body of water is safe without supervision. Always keep an eye on young children around water, even at home.

How does pool safety compare with open water safety?
While both environments require vigilance, open water presents additional risks such as currents, tides, and visibility issues. Pool safety measures include barriers with self-closing, self-latching gates. In open water, designate a responsible adult as the dedicated “water watcher” to focus solely on supervision.

What are some tips for swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers?

Do children who can swim still need supervision?
Absolutely! No matter their skill level, children must always be closely supervised when near water. Even the strongest swimmers can encounter difficulties, and adult presence is critical in preventing accidents.

What do people need to know about childhood drowning?

Water safety is a year-round commitment. By starting early, staying informed, and prioritizing supervision, parents can play a crucial role in keeping children safe in and around water. If you’re unsure when or how to start swimming lessons, or what program is best for your child, talk to your pediatrician—they can help guide you based on your child’s age, development, and specific needs.

Hope Floats Foundation
Imagine Swimming is a New York City swim school offering lessons from infancy through adulthood, with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Their programs are designed to support water safety, comfort, and skill development at every stage, with an emphasis on building confidence over time.

They also strive to make swim instruction accessible for all families, including through initiatives like Hope Floats, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all children have access to swim lessons, regardless of financial barriers. Hope Floats partners with swim schools across the country to provide scholarships for swimming education, helping children gain life-saving skills.

Resources:
Hope Floats Foundation
CDC Drowning Prevention Page
NYC Parks Swim Programs
NYC Parks offers free swim programs for all ages, including Learn to Swim, Adaptive Swim, and youth Swim Teams. Most classes are held in indoor pools, and a low-cost recreation center membership is required. Great for building water skills and staying active!