A student jumps to swim instructor Nick Van Meter during a lesson at Goldfish Swim School in Boise, Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Learning to swim from a qualified instructor reduces the risk of drowning by 88% among children ages 1 to 4.
A student jumps to swim instructor Nick Van Meter during a lesson at Goldfish Swim School in Boise, Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Learning to swim from a qualified instructor reduces the risk of drowning by 88% among children ages 1 to 4.
The Pool and Hot Tub Alliance issued a press release about its Step Into Swim initiative, a program committed to safe swim education. In addition, the group shared results of its national survey about swimming safety concerns and tips for keeping kids safer in the water. With drowning as the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4, these efforts underscore the importance of swimming education, instilling confidence in young swimmers and empowering parents to foster safe practices in the water, said the release.
The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of PHTA among 606 parents of kids 14 and under, and showed parents are concerned about their children’s safety and swimming abilities in the pool. Around 83% of parents who have kids ages 14 and under are confident in their child’s ability to be safe in the water, the survey said, yet 65% say they are concerned about their child drowning in a pool. Despite these concerns, only 54% plan to enroll their child in formal swimming lessons this year.
Other key survey findings show that among parents who have a child ages 14 or under:
81% of parents said they and their family have access to a pool, most commonly a community or public swimming pool (33%);
46% of parents do not plan to enroll their child in formal swimming lessons this year, with 19% saying they have no plans to do so even though their child has never had formal swimming lessons;
Less than half of parents (48%) are confident in their own swimming abilities, only 33% have had formal swimming lessons, and just one quarter (25%) are CPR certified;
Dads (92%) are significantly more likely than moms (74%) to have confidence in their child’s ability to be safe in the water, and also more likely than moms to say they plan to enroll their child in formal swimming lessons this year (62% vs. 45% respectively).
“We know parents are concerned about water safety. Teaching our kids how to swim is a critical first step in keeping them safe,” said Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and vice president of Partnerships and Development at PHTA who is leading the Step Into Swim initiative. “The CDC recently reported higher drowning rates in the U.S., which means we need to continue talking about important safety measures and encourage parents to take action for a safe and healthy summer season around the water.”
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Understanding the data around parental perceptions and concerns about swimming safety reinforces the need for swimming lessons as a lifesaving skill, especially with rising drowning rates.
There are best practices parents can follow to help keep their children safe in the water, such as:
Enroll your child in swimming lessons. Learning to swim from a qualified instructor reduces the risk of drowning by 88% among children ages 1 – 4.
Enact multiple layers of protection, including pool covers, fencing, locked doors and safety alarms.
Keep toys away from water as these can be distractions for young children and cause an accidental fall.
Designate a water watcher to keep a close eye on children. Assign adults to take supervision shifts, which may help minimize distractions.
Only practice safe swimming behaviors, such as entering the pool feet first and walking instead of running. Children should not engage in extended breath-holding activities underwater as these types of games are dangerous.
