BRANSON, Mo. (KY3) – A six-week survival swim program at Little Ripples Aquatic Academy in Branson teaches babies and toddlers about life-saving swimming techniques.
Little Ripples Aquatic Academy instructor Sarah Stephens said she wants highlight the benefits of survival swimming to parents in the area.
Through the six-week survival swim program at Little Ripples Aquatic Academy, babies and toddlers will learn one of two life-saving swimming techniques.
“Children under the age of one will learn how to surface themselves into a float. They will know how to surface to their back and put their mouth in the air so that they can breathe,” said Stephens.
According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 1,000 children die in accidental drownings each year. Almost half are between the ages of one and four, and the lessons aim to lower such accidents.
Stephens said some children are hesitant to swim when they first begin lessons.
Courtney Jahn said her daughter Kenley was that way at first, but she improved throughout the program.
”You go through the first few weeks of her freaking out, crying for mommy to watching her be able to float and swim on her own,” said Jahn.
Stephens said, when she moved to Branson five years ago, she realized there wasn’t a survival swim program, and she wanted to change that.
”A lot of people aren’t aware that they have a lot of options when it comes to swim lessons,” Stephens said.
She said the academy doesn’t teach your child to just have fun in the water, rather than to survive.
“As soon as they can crawl, they should know how to float. And as soon as they can walk, they should know how to swim,” Stephens said.
She said some parents might not know that new swimmers should never have their feet below them.
Kids are taught how to lay on top of the water.
”And kick with their face in the water and roll still staying on top of the water but now your face is out of the water to breathe,” Stephens said.
For two-year-old Kenley, her favorite thing to do in the water is to float.
”Watching her learn and grow through it, I’m so glad we did it,” Jahn said.
If you’re interested in signing your child up for survival swimming lessons you can CLICK HERE to get signed up.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to swim instructors through their Facebook page.
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