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Keeping kids and adults safe around water is a vital part of community health, especially during the summer months. National Water Safety Month highlights the care and attention that parents, teachers, and general citizens need to pay to keep everyone in the area safe around the water.

How to Celebrate National Water Safety Month

Get creative with fun ways observe National Water Safety Month, including some of these ideas for getting involved:

Teach Water Safety to Kids

One of the most important factors of National Water Safety Month is to make sure everyone is kept apprised of the various water safety tips and actions, particularly where children and water are concerned.

In fact, children should be taught water safety as early as possible and many swim schools offer lessons for children as early as four months old!

Sign Up for Swimming Lessons

Parents can take National Water Safety Month as a reminder for them to sign their kids up for swimming lessons that will help them become self-sufficient in the water.

Water safety classes can be found at local swimming pools, YMCAs, schools or other places that make their swimming facilities available to families.

Strengthen Those Water Safety Skills

Swimming lessons don’t have to be just for the kids! National Water Safety Month is also a good time for adults of any age to brush up on their water safety skills.

Former lifeguards or any adult who spends time around pools or beaches can make a difference in their community by taking a refresher course to build up strength and help them think quickly in case of an emergency.

Learn Other Safety Skills

In addition to having water safety lessons, there are other important certifications for keeping everyone safe during National Water Safety Month and all throughout the year.

CPR certification and general first aid are both useful for taking care of children and adults who might be harmed in or around the water.

For other related events at Days of the Year, consider celebrating Learn to Swim Day on the third Saturday in May, National Safe Sun Week in late May, or National Beach Day at the end of August.

History of National Water Safety Month

The first iteration of National Water Safety Month was held more than two decades ago, in June 2003, when it was established through the efforts of the World Waterpark Association (WWA).

A few years later, in 2007, the National Recreation and Park Association worked in collaboration with the WWA to move this event to May, at the beginning of the summer season.

Since that time, other interest groups and organizations have gotten on board with celebrating and advocating for National Water Safety Month, including the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the American Red Cross, the YMCA, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, and many others.

The various partners for this event help to promote it through marketing and awareness campaigns, public service announcements, promotional materials and business promotions as well as providing the public with free access to water safety materials.

In addition, National Water Safety Month is a great time to advocate for governmental proclamations whether in local or state-wide campaigns.

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