Learning to swim is not only an important life skill but is also essential for certain recreational activities that kids enjoy. What should be considered even more important is teaching children how to be safe when around water. Children frequently find themselves near water; whether it’s by the pool or a lake, at the beach, or near a river, so it is important to ensure that they’re water-aware and remain water safe from an early age.
We have gathered 19 wonderful resources for teachers and parents to use when teaching little learners how to be water safe. Read on to discover our top activities that focus on being water-smart!
1. Water Safety Coloring Activity Book
Coloring sheets are a great way to get younger kids interested in something. Once they have finished a coloring sheet, you can discuss the dangers in the pictures and how the people are keeping themselves safe.
Learn More: Department of Natural Resources
2. Water Safety Poem
This school activity is a great way to get your students thinking about water safety. Read this fun poem with your students to introduce the theme of water safety.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
3. Rules for the Swimming Pool Video
This educational video teaches students the rules of the swimming pool. This video is great to watch with students before swimming lessons and is essential for schools with pools. After the video, see if your students can remember the rules!
Learn More: Safe Water Sports
4. Write a Water Safety Poem or Song
After your students have spent some time learning about water safety, get them to come up with their own poem or write a memorable song about what they have learned to help them remember. Students could do this individually or in groups and then perform for each other.
5. Water Safety Agreement
Creating an aquatic activity safety policy with your students is a great way to discuss water safety and agree on ways for students to keep themselves safe when in and around water.
Learn More: Teachables Scholastic
6. Read Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim
This is a cute story about little Stewie- the life jacket-wearing duck who wants to swim, but his big sisters won’t let him until he learns some water safety rules. This story is great for teaching young readers about water safety and why it’s so important.
Learn More: Amazon
7. Water Safety Video
This video is a reading of the book, 10 Cool Pool Rules for Kids which teaches children how to be water smart when engaging in different swimming activities at the pool. The illustrations in this video are sure to keep students engaged- making this a great addition to your lesson.
Learn More: Thursday Pool
8. Create a Board Game
Put your students’ knowledge to the test by getting them to create a board game based on their water safety knowledge. This could be set as a homework task or be completed as a group task in class. Once the games are finished, students can play them together.
9. Water Safety Missing Worksheet
This printable worksheet, complete with a fun word search activity, is a super learning activity for teaching water safety. Students can use the word bank to complete the sentences and then search for the words in the word search.
Learn More: Easy Teaching
10. Crack the Code Mystery
This printable activity sheet is a great problem-solving activity for elementary students. Using the key, students can match up the numbers to the letters of the alphabet and reveal the secret message about water safety.
Learn More: The Swim School
11. Be Water Smart Video
This video takes a look at some different activities that kids might do in or near water and discusses how to do these activities safely.
Learn More: Royal Life Saving Aust
12. Water Safety-Themed Reading Comprehension
This reading comprehension is the perfect literacy activity to link with your water safety lessons. This free printable includes a reading passage and provides questions with answers for self-checking.
Learn More: Comprehension Worksheets
13. Water Safety Crossword
Crossword puzzles are perfect plenary activities for fast finishers. This puzzle features words and phrases associated with water safety which will help reinforce your students’ learning.
Learn More: The Swim School
14. Water Safety Hazard Spotting
Students must draw or list items categorically that would pose water safety risks. After completing the activity, take time to discuss what students have recorded in each category and why.
Learn More: Easy Teaching
15. Be a Water Safety Superhero
Kids take part in many different swimming activities so this video is super for getting them thinking about how to be safe. This video goes over some top water safety rules for kids to employ when poolside. Bonus- they can also be applied to other bodies of water!
Learn More: Juvenile Welfare Board
16. Spot the Dangers at the Beach
This super spot-the-dangers activity is super for young students who love taking part in recreational activities at the beach. Spend time looking at, and discussing, the images with your students. Get them to identify the different dangers and how to avoid them in real life.
Learn More: RNLI
17. Water Safety Quiz
Quizzes are a great way to get the whole class involved in what you’re learning about; either individually or in teams. This quiz is a great way for any teacher to check the level of their student’s knowledge of water safety, both before and after learning.
Learn More: ROSPA
18. Water Safety Worksheet Pack
These water safety activity sheets are super for teaching your students about different aspects of water safety. The fantastic activities get students to identify what is and aren’t safe when they’re in and around water.
Learn More: Living Life and Learning
19. Instructional Water Safety Video
This instructional video shows students how to be safe during water activities and covers some life-preservation tips they can employ should they accidentally fall into the water.
Learn More: Salt River Project
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