National Learn to Swim Day!

 

After a winter like we just had on the Northeast it’s hard to imagine summer or swimming but it is inevitable that at some point it will be summer again here in New Jersey!!  I love everything that summer has to offer like BBQ’s, playground time, longer days, building sandcastles and spending every available hour at our swim club!  This summer our goal is to get both kids, ages 5 and 3, to be stronger swimmers.  That seems to be a worthwhile goal for every summer since they will be around water I want them to learn how to be safe.

 

According to the American Red Cross, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages one to 14. If we work together to promote the importance of swimming, we can improve this scary statistic and make water wonderful for everyone.

 

3rd Annual National Learn to Swim Day, Saturday, May 17. National Learn to Swim Day is held annually to increase awareness about the importance of learning to swim. With spring in full effect and Memorial Day weekend around the corner, parents and caretakers nationwide are beginning to gear up for summer fun.

SwimWays’ dedicated website, www.TeachMetoSwim.com, provides great tools and resources to help support parents in teaching their children to swim, including swim tips, accomplishment certificates and more.

To help you all keep your children safe in the pool this summer I am sharing the swimming safety tips below

• Get your child comfortable in the water at an early age
• Introduce your child to the water using a baby float designed to help children feel comfortable and build water confidence, like the SwimWays Baby Spring Float
• Once your child is ready to learn to swim, use a graduated flotation device, such as SwimWays’ Swim Steps Power Swimr
• While you may feel your little one has the skills to swim unassisted, remember it takes a lot of courage to traverse the water without help
• It’s often beneficial for a child to ease into swimming with a little extra support, like a kickboard, before taking their first solo strokes
• National Learn to Swim Day is an opportunity for families to learn about the importance and benefits of learning to swim before Memorial Day Weekend and the start of summer
• Never leave your child unattended in or near the water. Teach children to understand that they must always ask for permission before they go near the water

National Learn to Swim Day Coloring Contest – As a part of the National Learn to Swim Day celebration, SwimWays is hosting a coloring contest. Kids can create their own artistic masterpiece by simply downloading a coloring sheet from TeachMetoSwim.com for the chance to win a pool prize pack, which includes a Swim Steps item, pool toy and Spring Float! Three winners will be selected, and the contest runs through May 31^st. We hope you’ll share this fun contest with your readers to give them the chance to win prizes that will help teach their children how to swim this summer.

How to enter: Simply print one of the coloring pages HERE for your child to color or let kids create their very own masterpiece. Scan or take a picture of their work of art and submit it via the contest page on Facebook (click on the “Color and Win” tab.) Alternate entry methods are listed in the official rules below.

Judging and prizes: Three winners will be chosen from the drawings entered. Two will be chosen by Swimways staff and the other by popular vote on Facebook. Each winner will receive a prize pack containing three items of their choice: One Swim Step item, one Toy, and one Spring Float! (See the choices to the right.)

Contest Dates: This contest runs from May 1st through May 31st, 2014. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM EST on May 31, 2014. Winners will be announced the first week of June.

Eligibility: No purchase necessary. This contest is open to legal residents of the United States and Disctrict of Columbia age 18 and older. Void where prohibited. Other restrictions apply. By participating in this contest you agree that you have read and agree to the official contest rules. Download the official rules here. (PDF)

 

15% Off Coupon – Just in time for summer fun, SwimWays is offering a 15% off digital coupon on items in the Swim Training category on SwimWays.com. Enter coupon code SWIMSTEPS at check out to receive your discount. Expires 6/30/14.