New York, NY 
Why teach kids to swim in their clothes?
In a word: SAFETY. As we teach students water survival techniques, a critical lesson is learning to navigate the water while fully clothed. After all, anyone who accidentally falls into a pool may not be dressed for it. Understanding the weight of their clothes underwater and how their body moves in them, brings a whole new level of appreciation and skill.
We want our students to have their first experience of being in the water fully clothed to take place under controlled conditions with our aquatics team guiding them.
What to expect:
Students will participate in one lesson between Monday, October 28 and Saturday, November 2 fully clothed.
- Tadpole, swimboree, and seahorse students should wear light clothes (t-shirts, shorts), pajamas, onesies, and socks.
- Starfish, minnow, and turtle 1 students should wear t-shirts, shorts or long pants and long sleeve shirts or pajamas, and socks.
- Adult students should wear long sleeve shirts and long pants or a sweatsuit and socks.
After completing Survival Week Training our students will know:
- How it feels to jump, roll, and float in the water with clothes on
- How to better handle water emergencies
- How to use strategies such as “throw don’t go,” the “monkey walk,” treading water and emergency 9-1-1.
Logistics:
- Wear clothing items that have been previously washed and won’t run in the water.
- Double diaper all kids under 3 under their clothes.
- Bring an extra set of dry clothing for activities after lesson and for comfort on your way home.
- Bring an extra plastic bag to put wet clothes in after the lesson.
- The heavier the clothing, the more the child will feel the weight and grasp the significance.
- Parents in the tadpole and swimboree classes may also wear clothing to get the full experience.
- Arrive 10 minutes early for critical water safety information & stay late for a Lion King water safety video.
