SUMMER SAFETY WEEK AT LA PETITE BALEEN

For over 40 years, La Petite Baleen has taken safety around water very seriously. We believe all children should learn how to swim and that all adults should remain vigilant whenever children and water have the opportunity to cross paths.

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1-4. LPB offers lessons to babies starting at 2 months old! You’re never too young – or too old! – to learn how to swim.

At LPB, Summer Safety Week is not just about the fun and games associated with bobbing, life jackets and throwing the life ring. It’s about instilling in our students and parents that:

• no one should ever swim alone;
• children should always be watched around water;
• life jackets should always be worn in or around moving water; and
• parents and caregivers should learn CPR

SUMMER SAFETY WEEK AT LPB – THE DETAILS

Summer Safety Week is held annually at La Petite Baleen in the month of May, which is National Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Month.

In Baby and Toddler classes, your teacher will have a short discussion with you or your child’s caregiver about common hazards around the house and when swimming, wading, or boating in public places.

Level 1 and 2 students, as well as any student under 4 years old, will have a similar discussion, geared toward their age, that focuses largely on the important mantra “never swim alone”. We will also talk to them about calling 9-1-1 seeking help from a grownup if they see a swimmer in distress.

Students in Levels 3,  4, and  5 classes who are 4-5 years old will not only have the discussion with their teachers but will also have the opportunity to practice a variety of survival skills in the deep end. Like most everything with our lessons, the learning will be disguised as fun and these students will practice survival skills like bobbing, turtle floats, appropriate use of life jackets, and will refine their treading and backfloat skills, without the use of goggles (to better mimic a real-life “survival” scenario).

Any student who is 6 or older in a Level 3, 4, or 5 class will do all of the above but will have additional time to practice rescues. Again, they will be taught about the importance of seeking help from a grown up if they happen upon a distressed swimmer, but they will also learn some rescue skills that are appropriate to their age and swim ability. These rescues include tossing a life ring and safely pulling someone back in, tossing floatation devices to a victim, and how to safely perform a reaching assist with and without equipment.

Kids, parents, and teachers alike LOVE our Summer Safety program. It’s a fun experience that also provides a good foundation for safer swimming over the summer months. We firmly believe that there is no greater safety measures than undistracted adult supervision, but by providing the tools and ideas discussed above, we hope we can prepare our students and parents for scenarios that they might encounter this summer.