Why swim safety matters for every family

With the weather warming up, swim safety messaging is increasing and for good reason. Despite ongoing aquatic education, devastatingly, drowning is still the number one cause of accidental death in children under five years.

With that in mind, swim school leaders at Rackley Swimming are encouraging all families to improve their year-round water safety awareness, especially in preparation for our Summer holiday season.

“Swimming skills can help save lives, no matter the aquatic activity,” said Rackley Swimming General Manager, Cameron Speechley. “That’s why our community message, ‘This is Swimming’, is so important. It highlights how any body of water – surfing, wading, splashing, jet skiing, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, tyre rafting, even building sandcastles – should be considered to be as swimming, because if a child falls into the water while doing that activity, swimming skills would be required,” added Speechley.

Rackley Swimming also suggests that year-round swimming is not only vital, but a smart decision. World first ‘Early Years Swimming’ research by Griffith University has shown that children exposed to regular swimming from a young age, can be six to fifteen months ahead of the normal population, when it comes to cognitive skills, problem solving, literacy, numeracy, as well as social ability, co-ordination, and following instructions.

“Swimming is one of Australia’s favourite hobbies. Through regular swimming lessons and our booster Holiday Swim Programs, we want to help ensure all Aussie kids don’t just love it, but are safer swimmers no matter the season,” concluded Speechley.


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By Angela Sutherland
After spending many years hustling stories on busy editorial desks around the world, Angela is now mum of two little ones and owner/editor at Kids on the Coast / Kids in the City. She is an atrocious cook and loves cutting shapes to 90s dance music. Angela is the editor of Kids on the Coast - a free family magazine whats on guide for Kids: things to do, school holiday fun and free activities for kids... Fun attractions, family food & travel, kids health & wellbeing, kids parties venues, parenting, pregnancy & babies, guide for parents. Servicing Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and beyond, Kids on the Coast is an online guide for parents with kids things to do with kids, schools and education and lifestyle news located on Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Brisbane, QLD.

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