Did you know drowning is the third-leading cause of unintentional death in the US? In Florida, drowning is the number one cause of child death. With so many pools, ponds, lakes, canals and other bodies of water in our home state, it's so important to make sure your kids know how to swim, and how to react if they ever fall into the water.
As we approach summer break, please prioritize swimming and water safety lessons for your family if you haven't already--drowning is preventable! Swim lessons save lives!
You should always watch your kids around water, and aside from supervision, the best thing parents can do to prevent drowning is to get their children into swim lessons. If cost is a factor, the YMCA is offering free swim lessons May 8-12! Find more info about that HERE.
At Tampa Parks and Recreation pools, swim lessons are just $24 for eight lessons--that's $3 per class!
An organization called Watermelon Swim offers free lessons and water safety classes for schools and groups.
Here is a list of non-profits offering free or reduced price swim lessons for Tampa Bay families.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images