🌎 71% of the World is Water. 🔎 Children are 100% Curious.
Teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
Drowning can happen nearly anywhere with standing water. But, as a parent or caregiver, you can't keep your children sidelined. You need to equip them with the tools they need to be confident in and around water so they don't lose out on the health benefits of exercise, the opportunities to bond with family and friends, and the sense of accomplishment when they learn new skills.
We're committed to raising awareness around the preventable tragedy that is youth drowning.
Explore ways you can help us increase water safety awareness within the community.
Phones Down. Eyes Up.
Checking your phone may seem like a quick task, but it can quickly turn into a major distraction, and distractions around the water can have major consequences. Remember: Phones Down, Eyes Up™, while at the pool, lakefront, or ocean.
Become a Water Watcher
Often times when everyone is watching the kids; that means no one is watching the kids. There should always be someone designated to watch the kids, especially when they’re around water.
Water Safety Tips
Check out our blog with the top Water Safety Tips you need to know this summer to stay prepared!
In 2024, the Gateway Region YMCA saw...
3,267 individuals
given discounted swim lessons at 10 of our YMCAs thanks to the generous support of the City Museum.
LEARN MORE
560 children
in Safety Around Water school collaborations (classroom, dry land, and in-water curriculum).
1,210 kids
in Go for Green, a program currently offered at 14 YMCA Day Camps which provides lessons to campers who haven't passed their swim test.
777 kids
at 4 YMCAs served through swim outreach programming targeting at-risk communities.
21 individuals
in our adaptive swim programming, designed for children and adults with disabilities who seek to learn and practice water safety skills.
Know the Facts
of drowning fatalities for children under 5 happen in home pools or hot tubs.
people die from unintentional drowning every year in the United States.
Water Watcher Pledge
SAVE A LIFE. BECOME A WATER WATCHER.
As we head into summer, it is critical that water safety remains at the forefront of everyone's mind. Save a life tomorrow by becoming a WATER WATCHER today!
