Water Safety Program

Kids love to swim, and you want them to have all the fun they can. Unfortunately, small mistakes can lead to danger around the water for your child. When you learn the facts about kids and water safety, you can make all the difference.

Get education, tools and support to help you prevent drowning

Drownings are the leading cause of injury-related death in children ages one to four years old in the United States. In Arizona, children in the same age group are drowning at nearly double the national average. Swimming pools are one of the main places where kids most often drown.

Pediatric providers like physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are a great resource to help you understand how to keep kids safe in the water.

Ask if your child’s provider knows about the Pediatric Drowning Prevention Program

When your doctor, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant enrolls in the Pediatric Drowning Prevention Program at Phoenix Children’s, sponsored by the Salt River Project (SRP), they receive tips and materials that can help caregivers like you protect your child. During your next visit, ask your child’s provider if they have joined the PDP Program.

Check out these resources to help keep your child safe in the water

Playing It Safe workshops

Thanks to our partnership with SRP, caregivers can attend a “Playing it Safe” workshop. We offer a straightforward water safety plan for caregivers of children ages 5 and under. Having a safety plan can help lower your stress and increase water safety during pool times – and the workshops are free! Parents and caregivers can sign up for a class here.

At the one-hour workshop, you’ll receive great resources such as:

• SRP Pool Parties / Fiestas en la piscina - Learn that safe swim time should include supervision and life jackets/Aprenda que el tiempo de natación segura debe incluir supervisión y chalecos salvavidas
• SRP Life Jackets / Seguridad en las piscinas con los chalecos salvavidas - Learn that safe swim time should include supervision and life jackets/Aprenda que el tiempo de natación segura debe incluir supervisión y chalecos salvavidas

Water safety video and handouts

Keep swim-time safe with our simple, clear and easy plan. First, check out our video for tips on how to choose a life jacket and be a great “Boss of the Pool,” and more. (Veer video en Español)

Keeping children and teens safe around water means staying on top of a lot of information. We’ve broken down the latest tips for you in these easy-to-read handouts:

• Water Safety for Teens / Seguridad de los Adolecentes en el Agua
• Supervision at the Pool / Seguridad en la piscina - supervisión
• River and Lakes / Seguridad de los ríos y lagos
• Water Safety for Children with Special Needs / Seguridad en el agua para niños con necesidades especiales

Water safety kits

With the support of Valley Toyota Dealers, free water safety kits are available to help caregivers reduce drowning risk. The kits include tips to lower parent stress and improve supervision at the pool. The kits also include a bag, a towel, a “Pool Boss” card and infographics.

• Emergency Preparedness / Seguridad en las piscinas y emergencias
• Childproofing / Seguridad en la piscina de su casa

Here’s how to learn more about water safety for your child

Contact us at 602-933-3948, or send an email to watersafety@phoenixchildrens.com.