April Pools Day Planning and Promotion

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Overview

April Pools Day is an annual event whereby families and others may go to a local pool and get safely prepared for our seasonal water-related activities. This page contains information and materials to assist facilities in preparing and promoting their own April Pools Day.

Each individual facility designs their own program that best fits their needs, but usually includes water-safety demonstrations, water-safety skills practice, life-jacket education and a recreational swim.

General Information

When

April Pools Day will be Saturday, April 20, 2013. A listing of events and participating facilities will be posted soon.

What

Two-hour program promoting water safety and life-jacket use. (Participants test their life jackets or use pool life jackets to learn safe sizing and techniques for swimming with a life jacket.)
One hour of water safety instruction and elementary rescues
One-hour free swim. (The water safety and free swims have also been conducted concurrently as a two-hour program.)
Raffle for free life jacket donated by Mustang Survival, free swim lessons donated by pool and any other door prizes your pool can promote.

Where

Your pool!

First Time Hosting April Pools Day?

Hosting April Pools Day can be a rewarding experience for both your facility and your community.

Please take the time to complete the April Pools Day RSVP Form. Facilities in Washington state that respond will receive event materials and support and be included in the event listing posted online and sent out in press releases.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, we would be glad to help. Just send the April Pools Day committee an email.

Tips and Suggestions

Promotion

Distribute flyers through local schools and daycares.
Give a free one-hour swim to classroom with most participants.
Distribute flyers on the last day of your current lesson session.
Distribute flyers on your registration day for spring lessons.
Promote during your Family and Public Swims.
Ask the community centers in your neighborhood and division to promote and distribute flyers.
Have local sponsors contribute door prizes or refreshments.
Write an article for your local newspaper.

Format and organization:

Have participants do as much "hands on" as possible.
Use skits and videos as well as demonstrations.
For the first hour, set up 3 to 4 stations where you are teaching water safety skills, demonstrating elementary forms of rescue, checking life jackets, testing participants' flotation gear, etc. Create a form to stamp showing participation at each station (sample form enclosed). Give a prize or free swim to those who visit all the stations.
Have a water safety "carnival."
Use canoes and boats.
Set up a table for flyers, safety information, brochures – have someone man this table.
Prepare a box in which people can enter their names for the drawing for a FREE set of swimming lessons.
Promote your swim lesson program, along with all of your other programs!