A free water-safety curriculum

Objective: Learners understand that constant, close adult supervision is the most important water-safety rule.

Key points

• Always swim where a lifeguard is present, and never alone.
• A designated "water watcher" keeps eyes on the water — no phone, no distractions — and hands off to another adult in turn.
• Drowning is fast and silent, not the loud thrashing of movies.

Talk about / try: Discuss: who is watching you when you swim? Practise naming a "water watcher" before any water activity.

Further reading: Water safety tips for kids · Home pool safety

Objective: Learners can tell safer water from more dangerous water and understand depth, currents, and lifeguards.

Key points

• Shallow water you can stand in is safest for beginners; the deep end is for confident swimmers.
• Open water (lakes, rivers, sea) is colder, has currents, and has no lane lines — it needs extra caution.
• Rip currents pull away from shore at surf beaches; a lifeguard can point out where they are.

Talk about / try: Look at photos of a pool, a lake, and a surf beach. Talk about what makes each one safer or riskier, and where you would swim.

Further reading: What happens at a public pool · Rip currents

Objective: Learners know the calm response to unexpectedly being in water: float, breathe, and call for help.

Key points

• The first job is not to panic — panic wastes energy. The water pulls people out, not down; you can float.
• Roll onto your back and float to rest and breathe.
• Stay calm, keep your head up, and wave one arm and shout for help.

Talk about / try: In shallow water with supervision, practise rolling onto your back and floating. On land, practise the "float and wave for help" motion.

Further reading: How to float on your back · What to do if you start to drown

Objective: Learners know how to help someone in trouble without becoming a second victim.

Key points

• Never jump in to save someone unless you are trained — a panicking person can pull you under.
• Reach with a pole, towel, or your arm from a stable spot, or throw something that floats.
• Call for a lifeguard or 911 straight away.

Talk about / try: Practise "reach and throw" on land with a pole and a float. Practise how to call for help clearly.

Further reading: Reach or throw, never go · Helping someone who is drowning

Objective: Learners understand the layers of protection that prevent drowning before it happens.

Key points

• Fences and self-latching gates keep young children away from water unsupervised.
• Coast Guard-approved life jackets — not inflatable "floaties" — keep weak or non-swimmers supported.
• Clear toys from the water after swimming so they don’t tempt children back.

Talk about / try: Point out the "layers": supervision, fence, life jacket, lifeguard. Discuss which ones exist where you swim.

Further reading: Layers of protection · Beach safety for kids

Objective: Learners see swimming as a learnable life skill and know the basic skills that keep a person safe.

Key points

• Basic "water competency": enter the water, float or tread, turn around, and get to an exit.
• Formal lessons with a qualified instructor build these skills safely.
• It is never too late — adults and children can learn at any age.

Talk about / try: Set one small, calm water-comfort goal for each learner (for example, blowing bubbles or floating for five seconds).

Further reading: Start here: the free 6-week plan · Find swim lessons