Two young swimmers at the YMCA Camp Cristina smile for a photo before their swim lessons.
May is National Water Safety Month and this year, through the generosity of Pool Corp, our YMCA will teach an additional 1,400 kids how to be safe around water.
With all of the lakes, beaches, pools and rivers in the Tampa Bay area, it’s important for children to know water safety skills. At the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, we believe that every person deserves access to water safety classes, no matter their circumstances.
Last year, through the Tampa Y, 13,960 children learned to swim and be safe around water, which is critical considering more children under the age of four drown in Florida than anywhere else in the nation.
The Y is committed to doing what it takes to ensure not one more child drowns in Tampa Bay.
Since data shows formal swim lessons cut the risk of drowning by 88 percent, YMCAs across Tampa Bay are offering free Safety Around Water lessons to children to ensure that all families have the skills they need to keep them safe, opening a world of possibilities for all!
The Y’s Safety Around Water program is free and open to the entire community, beginners and non-swimmers, ages 3-12 years. During the four-day course, certified instructors teach kids a sequenced set of skills that will reduce the risk of drowning and give them confidence in and around water.
Each 40-minute class includes exercises to help kids adjust to being in the water.
Kids learn “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim,” two skill sets they can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water or in an area where they cannot touch the bottom. Specific safety topics are covered including what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help.
Free Safety Around Water lessons are offered during the month of May. Learn more about water safety programs, contact a Y location near you or contact mobileswim@tampaymca.org to sign your child up today!