AIM of Safety & Survival Week:
To familiarise the children with the feeling of being in water with clothes on, if they happened to fall into a pool or waterway, accidentally – then they may not panic quite so much; to teach the children water survival skills, to help themselves and possibly others, in an emergency situation.
This may be a completely new experience for some children, especially if they are new to our centre, so we try to make it fun as well as instructional.
Instructors will talk to them the whole time,
oexplaining how their clothes feel heavy;
oit is harder to swim to get to the edge;
othey will sink lower into the water, with clothes on.
o Not all activities will be done, at every session.
o Activities will be chosen according to children’s ability and age.
o Clothes will not be on for full lesson – activities run for half the lesson only.
What do children learn during Safety & Survival Week?
⎫How to save someone
⎫Swim with a friend
⎫Not to panic with wet, heavy clothes on
⎫How not to get into dangerous situations
⎫Different rescue aids, and how to use them
⎫How to tread water and take heavy clothes off
⎫Use the environment to help save somebody
⎫Find suitable exits from the water
⎫How to enter unfamiliar water safely
Why do we have a Safety & Survival Week?
⎫To help children cope with emergencies
⎫To be conscious of water safety issues whilst on holidays
⎫Not to panic – builds confidence
⎫Only 4 times per year – children learn by repetition
⎫Learn through fun Vs being afraid
⎫Develop confidence to act calmly
⎫Accidents happen when you least expect them
