Goldfish Swim School Ann Arbor has sponsored this post. All opinions are my own
Goldfish Swim School opened their Ann Arbor location in 2011. They will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary on Saturday, August 20th. Since opening 5 years ago, Goldfish Swim School Ann Arbor has taught swim lessons to over 10,000 kids! That’s a lot of Ann Arbor kids.
They also want to provide Ann Arbor families with water safety tips as the summer draws to a close and families are spending their last days of summer on the water.
Water Safety
Summer 2016 has seen more drownings than usual — especially in the Great Lakes Region. Drownings and near-misses are more likely to occur on busy holiday weekends. The swim and safety experts at Goldfish Swim School have provided me with the following water safety tips to share.
1 – Water Watcher
Designate a a “Water Watcher” who is focused on watching the swimmers and not engaged in conversation, on their phone, reading, or otherwise distracted. Many children are who drown are supervised, so it is essential to watch them every second even when life guards are present.
I know I have personally seen several life guards rescue children in the wave pool at Rolling Hills several times without a parent nearby.
2 – Life Jackets vs. Toys
When using life jackets, make sure they are U.S. Coast Guard-approved. Arm floaties, noodles and plastic inner tubes are toys that are not designed to protect against drowning.
Life Jackets also don’t replace adequate supervision.
3 – Adult Swim Lessons
Only adults who can swim and are comfortable in water should be supervising children in the water. Any adult who cannot swim or is afraid of the water should take lessons and become comfortable in the water before supervising children in the water.
4 – Child Swim Lessons
According to the American Red Cross, enrolling children in swim lessons is the best thing parents can do to keep kids safer around water. Swimming is an essential life-saving skill with numerous physical, mental and intellectual benefits.
My daughter started with parent/child lessons at 6 months old and continued with parent/child lessons through age 3. I really wish Goldfish had been open with their 90 degree pool when she was a baby/toddler. She would only last about 30 minutes before she started shivering and was too cold to keep swimming.
5 – Secure the water
If you own a pool, make sure it is secure with latches, fences and sensors. However, barriers are not a substitute for supervision. If you have access to a lake or river, you need to be even more careful to provide supervision since they are harder to secure.
Goldfish Swim School Ann Arbor’s 5th Anniversary
Goldfish Swim School Ann Arbor will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary on Saturday, August 20 from 4-6:30p. This free event will feature a moon bounce obstacle course, crafts and prizes. There will be open swim during the Anniversary Party. There will also be a dunk tank where kids can dunk the Goldfish teachers.
