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The United States Swim School Association (USSSA) has announced that drowning prevention classes, including swim lessons have been deemed essential by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). We cannot and should not ignore the importance of drowning prevention as an essential public health need in California, and we applaud leadership at the CDPH for recognizing this and deeming drowning prevention, including swim lessons, as essential. This news also comes in the wake of recent studies and initiatives developed by USSSA to make learning to swim as safe as possible during COVID-19, including: * Creation of a uniform manual, USSSA Action Plan 2.1, that is based on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) protocols to provide guidance for swim schools to open and continue to provide critical water safety and drowning prevention for children while maintaining everyone’s health and safety. We are pleased to see leadership in California recognize the importance of drowning prevention as a significant public health initiative and will work with our volunteers and experts to continue to educate leadership in other states to follow suit, make drowning prevention, including learning to swim, essential in every state in the country.

We’ve loved the photos and videos we’ve seen from you, showing how you’ve been practicing your swim skills at home. For this edition, we’re taking it easy on our parents by sharing a few fun videos of British Swim School students giving water safety tips. When You’re Done in the Pool Pool toys are designed for pure fun – whether swimming fins for little mermaids, massive beach balls or water rockets! Pool rules are an important layer of water safety, and both parents and children should be with the rules at each swim location.

Read through this week’s special edition of Splash On! to find reminders about water safety guidelines, fun survival-themed activities for your children and online resources to explore on your own. In addition to the resources linked here, the USACE’s site includes additional Water Safety Tips and guidance on choosing a project life jacket, plus much more. Click here to print the Water Safety Adventure Sheet, which includes helpful tips for boat riders and fun activities to emphasize water safety. the Water Safety Dog: this great mini-site – also from the US Army Corps of Engineers – includes fun cartoons, interactive games, downloadable trading cars and much more to keep your kids entertained while emphasizing key skills and water safety tips.

(“kick, kick, kick, breathe!”) Quick Homework Tip: Kids can practice “freestyle arms” by lying horizontally on the couch with one arm/shoulder dangling. They should reach forward (above their head), down to the ground, back to their leg, then “make a rainbow,” ensuring they’re getting their arm “out of the water” – meaning, above the horizontal plane of the couch. Find a few sheets of construction paper – or colored towels or any solid colored item – and then go around your house finding toys or small objects of the same color. We’d love to hear how else you’re practicing your swim skills at home, or simply how you’ve been keeping busy!