Kids Alive Do the Five
Drowning is the greatest cause of accidental death in children under five in Australia. Each week, on average, one child drowns.
In 1988 to combat drowning, Laurie Lawrence created the Kids Alive – Do the Five water safety program. The Kids Alive community service program educates the public on five important steps to reduce the risk of preschool drowning.
- Fence the pool
- Shut the gate
- Teach your kids to swim - it's great
- Supervise - watch your mate
- Learn to resusitate
Water safety issues during COVID
A webinar on the National Drowning Report has sadly confirmed fears for the preschool age group - with the significant increase in drowning statistics in the 2021 report.
There is no doubt that the lockdowns and closures of learn to swim schools where parents and young children gain vital swimming and water safety education has impacted this.
The increased pressure that parents and caregivers are facing juggling working from home alongside the supervision of young children is overwhelming.
As we enter Spring it is vital we keep water safety messages front of mind for Australian parents and caregivers. Sadly many swim schools remain closed and even those children who are able to participate in swimming lessons have seen their skill level and confidence diminish.
To support the education of parents on swimming and water safety, 'Kids Alive' have developed a range of video content to share with the community.
They've made the videos relevant for restricted to home based learning and those who are now able to access swimming lessons.
Bath Time Swim Lessons
Bath time swimming lessons for 2, 3, and 4 year old children. Similar lessons suitable for babies will be released soon. The bath sessions reinforce the importance of supervision but also include swimming skills to support children’s learn to swim journey. Bath time sessions can also run alongside formal learn to swim lessons to enhance children’s confidence and skill level. Click on links below:
Bath Time Lesson for 2 Year Olds
Bath Time Lesson for 3 Year Olds
Bath Time Lessons for 4 Year Olds
Learn To Swim in The Spring
For those families who are able to access learn to swim lessons 'Kids Alive' want to showcase the National Swimming and Water Safety Benchmarks. They've have put together a range of videos to showcase some of the skills every Australian at the age of 6 years should be able to achieve. We've placed links to the videos here.
Swim Continuously for 5 Meters
Learn To Swim This Spring Overview
Swimming and Water Safety This Spring - Laurie Lawrence
Swimming and Water Safety This Spring - Emma Lawrence
Kids Alive Couch Concerts
Throughout June, Kids Alive hosted loads of virtual events to share ways to be safe in your home, at the pool, at the beach and on the farm. They had singing and dance concerts, wonderful puppet shows, book readings and great craft activities.
Tune into the events on their Facebook page or website.
In this series you will meet some of their very good friends who know lots about water safety:
Wise Owl. Wise Owl knows all the water safety rules and loves to share his knowledge. He is always on the lookout supervising and caring for friends when they are in the water.
Lifesaver Lil – Lil loves to sing and dance and help her friends have fun learning about water safety around the home, pool, beach and farm.
Boo the Alien. Boo is our cheeky mate from outer space. He uses his spaceship to travel around to lots of fun and exciting places. His friends Wise Owl and Lil teach him about water safety.
