Water safety for preschoolers
Young children typically lack a natural fear of water, leading them to enter it boldly without fully comprehending the dangers involved. Preschoolers are often unable to adequately assess the level of threat, meaning the primary responsibility for ensuring their safety around water falls on parents. While it is important to familiarize toddlers with rules of conduct during the summer period. When conducting lessons in a preschool educational institution or at home, it is always necessary to consider the preschooler's individual level. Children of this age strongly dislike a standardized approach, and even peers can vary significantly in development and mental acuity. Therefore, always take this fact into account, make maximum use of visual and game-based materials, and strive to actively involve the preschoolers themselves in the lessons.
Water safety for preschoolers is not just about lessons for the youngest swimmers, but also for their parents. After all, the child's safety level depends almost entirely on the latter. Therefore, if lessons are conducted with preschoolers in kindergarten, it is advisable to include communication with parents to remind them of basic water safety rules for the summer. This will significantly reduce the number of tragic accidents that very often occur due to the inattentiveness and negligence of adults.
Water safety rules for preschoolers –
fun lessons
In the lessons, we actively use simple, understandable safety rules, as well as poems, pictures, and stories that explain them. For example, a poem:
We will splash in the water,
Near the shore, where Mom placed us,
We are not afraid of the depth at all,
We simply know all the water rules!
Therefore, preschoolers need to clearly understand the following
water safety rules:
Do not enter or swim deep into the water.
Do not swim in the water without adult supervision.
Do not dive into shallow water, or water with a hard or sharp bottom.
Do not dive into a small inflatable pool.
Do not dive into the water from boats.
You can only dive into the water where the bottom is good, the depth is sufficient, and where adults who must be nearby allow you to.
Do not walk on the edge of docks, piers, breakwaters, and other places from which you can fall into the water.
Do not stay in the water for too long, you can get very cold.
When playing with children, do not push them into the water or hold them underwater, they may drown.
Do not swim during bad weather.
Rules for those who cannot swim or swim poorly - when swimming, use an inflatable ring, vest, armbands.
Do not swim far from the shore even with an inflatable ring or vest – it is dangerous. They can burst and you will start to sink.
If you see someone drowning or someone is unwell, inform an adult.
If you have swallowed water, are cold, have cramps, or just feel unwell – get out of the water!
Be careful on the bank of a river, lake, or sea, there may be pits even near the shore.
We observe all swimming rules on the water,
That is why we know that there will never be trouble.
We are obedient little ones, we love our parents,
And therefore we know the rules, and will never forget them!