In almost all situations, most parents in this Mott Poll would require a lifeguard or other adult to be present before giving their child permission to swim. Parents should check with their local parks and recreation programs to see what is available in their areas.Īnother important aspect of water safety, even for children who have swimming skills, is adequate supervision. Many communities are now realizing the need for all children to have access to affordable lessons and are creating new swimming programs to make them more accessible. The cost of swimming lessons can also be a barrier for many low-income families. As such, families in these areas must make extra efforts to find opportunities for their children to become comfortable and confident in the water. This results in fewer opportunities for children in these areas to gain water skills and less availability of swimming lessons. Public water play areas in poorer and urban neighborhoods sometimes contain only shallow “splash parks” and not actual swimming pools. For example, Black children drown in pools at 5.5 times the rate of White children, and Black parents in this Poll were much less likely to report their children had swimming lessons than White parents. Racial differences in the proportion of parents in this Mott Poll reporting children took swimming lessons mirror national drowning data. About 1,000 US children die each year from drowning, and five times that number receive care in an emergency department for non-fatal water-related injuries.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking part in formal swimming lessons reduces the risk of drowning among children. Keeping kids as safe as possible in these activities is essential. When the weather turns warmer, families often spend time around a pool, a lake or the ocean. Playing in the water can be one of the most enjoyable activities for children. Among parents who say their child can swim independently, 45% would allow the child to be in a pool unsupervised, compared with only 14% of parents whose child cannot swim independently. While relatively few parents would allow their child to be unsupervised in a lake (16%) or the ocean (13%), over one third (37%) would allow their child to be in a home, hotel or neighborhood pool without adult supervision. Some parents allow children to be in the water unsupervised – without a lifeguard or other adult present. The most common reasons parents give for not having their child take swimming lessons are that their child learned to swim on their own (58%), lessons cost too much (44%), the time or location of the lessons was not convenient (43%), lessons are not a priority (36%) and that lessons are not available in their area (19%). Over half of White parents (55%) say their child has taken swimming lessons, compared with only 39% of Hispanic and 37% of Black parents.
There are also race/ethnicity differences in parents reporting whether their child has taken swimming lessons. However, this differs by race/ethnicity: 80% of White parents say their child can swim independently, compared to 66% of Hispanic and 49% of Black parents.
Around three fourths (74%) of all parents of children 6-18 years report their child can swim independently. Swimming Lessons and SupervisionĪlmost all parents (97%) in the Mott Poll believe it is important for children to have basic swimming skills, and 60% of parents wish their child were a better swimmer. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked parents of children age 6-18 about their child’s ability to swim, whether they took swimming lessons, and their rules for supervision in the water. Playing in a pool, the ocean or a lake is a favorite activity of many children and a great way to get exercise, but it is important to keep children safe in the water.
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