Swimming safety tips ahead of Memorial Day pool openings
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Many pools and beaches will be open for Memorial Day.
Kids did not get the chance to take swim lessons during the pandemic, so how do you ensure your kids will be safe in the water?
Bob Ryan, owner of Goldfish Swim School in Wicker Park, said kids are swimming as young as four months old.
He said it's important to have a designated water watcher.
"Don't have someone who's going to be on their phone or distracted," Ryan said. "Even if you're a big group don't assume that someone's watching the water."
It's also important to make sure your child knows how to get out of the water.
"We do this drill called, jump, turn, swim back to the wall," Ryan said. "It can simulate possibly falling into the water, identifying the closet wall which is often behind you and then going over how to climb out properly."
These are crucial lessons for young swimmers in the summer, which is a high season for child drownings.
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4.
It's also the second leading cause of accidental death for children 5 to 9.
Ryan's recommends getting your child back in the water and see where they're at.
He said if they're swimming every week, a couple times a week, they will get better and safer around the water.
"We have a lot of parents that come and just want to be able to make sure their kid is safe and then soon they're doing butterfly kicks, breast stroke kicks so we want you to take it as far as you want to go so it's unique for every kid they are safe in the water," Ryan said.
One more piece of advice for parents is to never let you child swim alone in the water, regardless of their skill level.
There should always someone with them when they're swimming.
