swimming and water safety news · swimming and water safety news welcome to american red cross...

We’re proud to offer you:

•ProfessionalinstructorswhoarewelltrainedbytheAmericanRedCross.

•Learningmadefuninasafeenvironment.

•Abalancedprogramthatteachesswimmingskillsandhowtobesafeinthewater,includingafocusonloweringtheriskofdrowningandincreasingthechancesofdrowningsurvival.

•Acomprehensiveswimmingandwatersafetyprogramforeveryoneinthefamily—frominfancytoadulthoodincluding:

◦ AfreeRedCrossSwimmobileapplicationavailablefordownloadfromiTunes,GooglePlayorAmazonMarketplaceappstores.

◦ Swim Lessons Achievement Bookletstotrackskillachievementandprogressionthroughthelevels.

◦ Badgesystemtorecognizeandrewardachievementoutsideofthelevels,motivatingparticipantstostrivetowarddevelopingspecificskillsandforrecognizingparticipantsforsomethingthattheyaredoingwell,especiallywhentheyarestrugglingwithaspecificskillorsetofskillsneededtosuccessfullycompletethelevel.

What do participants learn in Learn-to-Swim Level 3?InLearn-to-SwimLevel3,ourinstructorsfollowaplantointroducenewswimmingandwatersafetyskillsandtobuildonpreviouslylearnedskills.Yourchildlearnstoswimthefrontcrawlandelementarybackstrokeatrudimentarylevels,isintroducedtothescissorsanddolphinkicks,learnsthesurvivalfloatandincreasesthetimedurationfortreadingwater.Yourchildalsolearnstherulesforheadfirstentriesandbeginstolearntoenterthewaterheadfirstfromaseatedpositionatpoolside(ifthewateris9feetdeepordeeper).Eachclassisloadedwithfun,engagingandchallengingactivitiesthatmotivatechildrentowanttoperformandlearntoswimandhelpyourchilddevelopwatercompetency.

S W I M M I N G A N D W AT E R S A F E T Y N E W S

Welcome to American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 3!The American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim is made up of six levels of swimming

and water safety instruction. By now your child is starting to gain some substantial swimming and water safety skills. But there is still a long way to go. As participants progress through the levels and develop these skills, they become safer and better swimmers and develop water competency.

Learn-to-Swim Level 3—Stroke Development

Watercompetencymeanshavingthebasic,minimumskillsneededtobesafeandsurviveinthewater.Itmeansmorethanjustknowinghowtoswim.Italsoincludestheabilityto:

•Enterthewaterandsubmergecompletely.

•Recovertothesurfaceandstaythereforatleast1minutebytreadingwaterorfloating.

•Turncompletely(360degrees)andorienttotheexit.

•Leveloffandpropeloneselfonthefrontorbackthroughthewaterforatleast25yards.

•Exitthewater.

Remember,youmaybewatercompetentinonetypeofaquaticenvironment,forexample,apool.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatyouarewatercompetentinanotherenvironment,suchasalakeorocean.Eachenvironmentisdifferentandmoreskillisrequired.

W AT E R C O M P E T E N C Y : D I D Y O U K N O W ?

Some of the milestones in Level 3—Stroke Development include:

•Flutter,scissors,breaststrokeanddolphinkicks.

•Jumpingintodeepwaterfromtheside,recoveringtothesurface,maintainingpositionbytreadingorfloatingfor1minute,rotatingafullturnandthenturningasnecessarytoorienttotheexitpoint.

•Swimmingthefrontcrawland/orelementarybackstrokefor25yardsandthenexitingthewater.

•Pushingoffinastreamlinedposition,swimmingthefrontcrawlfor15yards,changingpositionanddirection,swim-mingtheelementarybackstrokefor15yardsandthenexitingthewater.

How are Level 3 Learn-to-Swim participants evaluated?Yourchild’sprogressandskillachievementarecontinuouslymonitoredandevaluated.OnceallLevel3skillsareachievedandtheexitskillsassessmentiscompleted,yourchildre-ceivesacompletioncardandtheyarereadytomoveontoLevel4!

Takesometimethroughoutthesessiontotalkwithyourchild’sinstructortofindouthowyourchildisdoing.Attheendofthesession,yourinstructorwilldate,signandprovidecommentsonyourchild’sSwim Lessons Achievement Booklet.Onceyourchildhassuccessfullycompletedalloftherequirementsforalevel,thereisanotherspacefortheinstructortoindicatethatyourchildisreadytoenrollinthenextlevel.

Where do swimmers go after Level 3?SwimmersmovethroughthesixlevelsoftheAmericanRedCrossLearn-to-Swimprogramastheymastertheskillsrequiredateachlevel.AftersuccessfullycompletingLevel3,besuretoregisteryourchildforLearn-to-SwimLevel4,whereyourchildwilllearn:

•Toincreasetheirendurancebyswimmingfamiliarstrokes(frontcrawl,elementarybackstroke)forgreaterdistancesandwithmoreadvancedproficiency.

•Tobuildonthescissorskickanddolphinkickbyaddingarmsforsidestrokeandbreaststroke.

•Thebackcrawlandbutterfly.

•Thebasicsforasimpleopenturnatawall.

PARENT’S CORNER

How can you help?

•Supportyourchildbypraisinghisorhereffortinthepool.

•Bringalightsnackforyourchild.Kidsareoftenhungryandtiredafteralesson.

•Rememberthateachchildisdifferentandthatparticipantslearnswimmingskillsatdifferentrates.

How can you build on your child’s swimming experience?

•Giveyourchildplentyofopportunitytodevelopstrength,practiceskills,gainconfidenceandincreasehisorhercomfortlevelinthewaterbytakinghimorhertothelocalaquaticfacility.

•Stayinterestedinyourchild’sprogress.Askyourchildtoshowyouaskilllearnedinswimlessonsandincorporatetheskillintoagametoplayinthepool.

•DownloadtheRedCrossSwimmobileapplicationanduseittohelpencourageyourchild’sprogressandknowledgeaboutwatersafety.Alsousetheapplicationtoshareyourchild’sprogressandsuccesses.

•MaintainasafetyfirstattitudeandfollowtheAmericanRedCrossCircleofDrowningPrevention.

Reach or throw, don’t go.Ifapersonisintroubleandneedshelp,donotgointothewater.Lookaroundforanyobjectthatmightbeavailable,suchasafoamnoodle,kickboard,shirt,belt,stickortowelanduseittoextendyourreach.

Swim as a pair near a life-guard’s chair. Nomatterhowoldyouareorhowstrongofaswimmeryouare,alwaysswiminasupervisedareawithapartnernearalifeguard’schair.

Think twice before going near cold water or ice.Thereisnosuchthingas100-percentsafeice.Anyonewhofallsintocoldwatershouldremaincalmandtrytoswimtosafetyifitispossibletodosowithonlyafewstrokes.

BE A WATER SMART FAMILY!

We’re proud to offer you:

•ProfessionalinstructorswhoarewelltrainedbytheAmericanRedCross.

•Learningmadefuninasafeenvironment.

•Abalancedprogramthatteachesswimmingskillsandhowtobesafeinthewater,includingafocusonloweringtheriskofdrowningandincreasingthechancesofdrowningsurvival.

•Acomprehensiveswimmingandwatersafetyprogramforeveryoneinthefamily—frominfancytoadulthoodincluding:

◦ AfreeRedCrossSwimmobileapplicationavailablefordownloadfromiTunes,GooglePlayorAmazonMarketplaceappstores.

◦ Swim Lessons Achievement Bookletstotrackskillachievementandprogressionthroughthelevels.

◦ Badgesystemtorecognizeandrewardachievementoutsideofthelevels,motivatingparticipantstostrivetowarddevelopingspecificskillsandforrecognizingparticipantsforsomethingthattheyaredoingwell,especiallywhentheyarestrugglingwithaspecificskillorsetofskillsneededtosuccessfullycompletethelevel.

What do participants learn in Learn-to-Swim Level 4?InLearn-to-SwimLevel4,ourinstructorsfollowaplantointroducenewswimmingandwatersafetyskillsandtobuildonpreviouslylearnedskills,improvingtheswimmingstrokeproficiencyandswimmingforlongerdistances.Eachclassisloadedwithfun,engagingandchallengingactivitiesthatmotivatechildrentowanttoperformandlearntoswim.SomeofthemilestonesinLevel4—StrokeImprovementinclude:

S W I M M I N G A N D W AT E R S A F E T Y N E W S

Welcome to American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Level 4!

We know you are very proud of your child’s swimming and water safety

accomplishments so far. You are seeing your child perform a variety of skills with ever-

increasing levels of quality and confidence.

Learn-to-Swim Level 4—Stroke Improvement

PARENT’S CORNER

How can you help?

•Praiseyourchildandhelphimorherbeproudoftheeffortsandaccomplishmentstowardbeingasafety-consciousandskilledswimmer.

•Remindyourchildthatpeopledevelopswimmingskillsatdifferentrates.Participantsrarelyachievealloftheskillsandperformancerequirementsinasinglesession.

•Haveyourchildasktheinstructorwhichskillsheorsheshouldreviewandthenmakeitpossibleforyourchildtopracticetheseskillsatalocalaquaticfacility.

•DownloadtheRedCrossSwimmobileappli-cationanduseittohelpencourageyourchild’sprogressandknowledgeaboutwatersafetyaswellasshareyourchild’sprogressandsuc-cesses.Alsohaveyourchildwatchthestrokeperformancevideosforadditionaldemonstra-tionsofeachstroke.

•Encourageyourchildtoasktotestforbadges.

How participants improve in between classes?

•Makeitpossibleforthemtoattendpublicorfamilyswimstodevelopstrengthandpracticeskills.

•Thinkaboutsafelocationsfordiving.Think“safetyfirst”byenter-ing“feetfirst,thefirsttime”toensuretherearenowaterhazards.

•Swimmingthefrontcrawlfor25yards.

•Swimmingtheelementarybackstrokefor25yards.

•Swimmingthebreaststrokefor15yards.

•Swimmingthebutterflyfor15yards.

•Swimmingthebackcrawlfor15yards.

•Swimmingthesidestrokefor15yards.

•Headfirstentry*fromastrideposition(*onlyifthewaterisatleast9-feetdeep).

•Openturnsonthefrontandback.

How are Learn-to-Swim Level 4 participants evaluated?Instructorsfollowaplanthatdetailstheskillstobeintro-ducedateachlevelalongwithperformanceexpectations.Yourchild’sprogressandskillachievementarecontinu-ouslymonitoredandevaluated.OnceallLevel4skillsareachievedandtheexitskillsassessmentiscompleted,yourchildreceivesacompletioncardandisreadytomoveontoLevel5!

Checkinwithyourchild’sinstructortofindouthowheorsheisdoing.Attheendofthesession,yourinstructorwilldate,signandprovidecommentsonyourchild’sSwim Lessons Achievement Booklet.Onceyourchildhassuc-cessfullycompletedalloftherequirementsforalevel,theinstructorwillindicateinthebookletthatyourchildisreadytoenrollinthenextlevel.

Where do swimmers go after Level 4?Bynow,participantsareabletomakegoodprogressinthewater,buttheyarenotdoneyet!SwimmersmovethroughthesixlevelsofRedCrossLearn-to-Swimastheymastertheskillsrequiredateachlevel.Aftersuccessfullydemon-stratingthecompletionrequirementsfromLevel4,enrollswimmersinLearn-to-SwimLevel5.OtheropportunitiesatthislevelofachievementincludeWaterSafetyInstructororJuniorLifeguardingcourses.

Asyourchildimproveshisorherswimmingskillanden-durance,theopportunitiestoengageinandenjoyaquaticactivitiesinavarietyofsettingsgreatlyincreases.Buteveryaquaticsettingisdifferentandposesspecificsafetychal-lenges.Beingawareofthesesafetychallengescanhelpyoustaysafenomatterwhataquaticsettingyouarein.

Too much sun is no fun.Ultraviolet(UV)raysfromthesunareinvisible,soyouneedtotakestepstoprotectyourskinwheneveryougooutside,evenoncloudydays.AlwayswearasunscreenwithaSPFofatleast30.

Look before you leap.Remembertherulesforheadfirstentries.Alwayscheckwithalifeguardtoseeifitisokaytojumpinthewater.Ifitisallowed,makesurethatyoucanseewhatisinfrontofyouandbelowthewaterbeforeyouenterthewater.

Wave, tide or ride, follow the guide.Followallposteddirectionsandinstructionsfromthelifeguardstogetintothecorrectpositionbeforestartingdownawaterslide–faceupandfeetfirstinmostcases.Onspeedslides,crossingthelegshelpspreventinjuries.

BE A WATER SMART FAMILY!

In Learn-to-Swim Level 5— Stroke Refinement participants will:

•Refinetheirperformanceofallthestrokes(frontcrawl,backcrawl,butterfly,breaststroke,elementarybackstrokeandsidestroke).

•Increasetheirendurancebyswimmingfamiliarstrokesforgreaterdistances.

•Learnflipturnsonthefrontandback.