Resources for Parents, Children and Teens
Places to Swim and Enjoy Water in King County
Swimming is a fun and great way to get exercise. Knowing how to swim is a skill that can help keep you safe. There are many places for children, teens, families and adults to enjoy swimming in King County. These handouts can help you find a pool, boating program or beach in your community.
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- Summer 2018 King County Beach and Swimming Areas
- Swimming in Seattle: English | English and Spanish (black and white, color) | English and Vietnamese (PDF)
- Women’s Swim Lessons and Programs – Seattle and King County (PDF)
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- Life Jacket Coupon (PDF)
Learn more about life jackets and get a coupon good for 25% off the regular price of any life jacket in stock at Big 5 Sporting Goods stores in Washington and northern Idaho. The coupon is valid through September 30. - Life Jackets for Children and Teens | Spanish (PDF)
Learn when you and your child should wear life jackets, why they are important and how to buy life jackets that fit correctly. - Life Jacket Wear/Wearing Your Life Jacket (U.S. Coast Guard)
Details about life jacket options and requirements. - Life Jackets (Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office)
Tips on choosing the right life jacket and what the law says about wearing life jackets. - Life Jackets Float. Do You? (video) (American Canoe Association)
A 13-minute video that shows what can go wrong during river activities and how a life jacket can make a big difference. - Test Your Water Safety and Life Jacket Knowledge: Common Questions Answered (On the Pulse)
“My child can swim. Should they wear a life jacket?” A drowning prevention expert answers this and other questions. - Washington State Life Jacket Loaner Station Locations (PDF) - Google map
Information on where you can borrow life jackets for free in Washington state. A partnership between Seattle Children’s, Washington State Parks and Recreation Boating Program, the Department of Health and Safe Kids. - Wear It Right: Choosing and Fitting a Life Jacket (video) (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Learn 5 things to look for when picking out life jackets for your family.
- Life Jacket Coupon (PDF)
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- Water Safety for Children Birth to 5 Years | Spanish
Discusses drowning prevention at home, in the yard, and in and near the water. - Water Safety for Children Ages 6 to 11 Years Old | Spanish
Discusses drowning prevention at home, in the yard, in and near the water, and on a boat. - What to Do If Your Child Is Drowning: Infants & Toddlers (Seattle Mama Doc)
Tips for rescuing an infant or toddler from the water and starting rescue breaths (mouth-to-mouth breathing) if needed. - What to Do If Your Child Is Drowning: School-Age & Teens (Seattle Mama Doc)
How to safely reach to a child or teen or throw them something that floats and other ways to respond if you think they are in trouble in the water. - For kids:
- Stay on Top of It: A Water Safety Activity Booklet (PDF)
For elementary school-age children. Explains water safety concepts through puzzles, connect the dots and word scrambles. - Wear Your Life Jacket: Coloring Sheet (PDF)
Color a duck in a life jacket.
- Water Safety for Children Birth to 5 Years | Spanish
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- Water Safety for Teens 12 to 18 Years Old | English, Spanish (PDF)
Discusses alcohol and drugs, swimming and diving, babysitting, and boating. - Bringing Life Vests to Life: A Fashion Show for Teens (PDF)
Guide that provides “how to’s” on having a life vest fashion show. - Drowning Doesn’t Look Like You Imagined (video) (Newsy Science)
Find out why a drowning person might appear to be quietly treading water even though they are in serious danger. - Even Good Swimmers Need Life Vests (video) (Seattle Children’s Teenology 101)
Kevin tells how his brother drowned after falling off a paddleboard, even though both boys were good swimmers. - Facts About Teen and Young Adult Drownings
Learn why drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death for 15-to-19-year-olds in Washington state. - Fourth of July Safety (Teenology 101)
Swimming, boating and aquatic sports can be a fun part of your celebration, if you use care. - H2O Smartz (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Tips for having a blast safely in, on or around the water. - Stay on Top of the Water: A Water Safety Decision-Making Guide for Young People (PDF) A 5-part guide designed for parents, guardians and educators to use with middle school-age children.
- Teen Drowning Myths (Teenology 101)
Can you tell the speed of a river by looking at the surface? Is swimming in a lake just like swimming in a pool? Compare common myths to the realities. - Water Safety (Teenology 101)
Teen boys are 10 times more likely to drown than teen girls. Learn how to keep yourself and your friends safe. - What to Do If Your Child Is Drowning: School-Age & Teens (Seattle Mama Doc)
How to safely reach to a child or teen or throw them something that floats and other ways to respond if you think they are in trouble in the water.
- Water Safety for Teens 12 to 18 Years Old | English, Spanish (PDF)
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- Water Safety for Children With Seizures
Drowning prevention tips for children with seizures and epilepsy at home and around the water. - Water Safety for Children With Seizures (PDF) | Spanish | Vietnamese
- Water Safety for Families With Children with Special Needs (video) (Safe Kids)
Discusses adaptive life jackets, staying within an arm’s reach of your child near any water, explaining water safety to your child and other topics.
- Water Safety for Children With Seizures
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- Water Safety Tips For Families | English | Arabic | Amharic | Cantonese | Oromo | Spanish | Vietnamese | Somali (PDF)
Explains basic guidelines every family can follow to enjoy the water safely. - Debunking 'Dry Drowning,' 'Secondary Drowning' and 'Delayed Drowning'
A Q&A with water safety and medical expert Dr. Linda Quan - Drowning Fact Sheet (PDF) (Washington State Department of Health)
Gives facts and figures about drowning in Washington state, with a focus on children. - Drowning Facts and Risks (Public Health – Seattle and King County)
Gives facts and figures about drowning in the United States, Washington state and King County and explains who is at risk. - Everyone Swims (video)
Features children and parents talking about why swimming is a fun, healthy and important activity. Lists places to swim in and around Seattle. - Lifeguarding Training (American Red Cross)
Find lifeguard training in your area. - Myths and Facts about Water Safety | Spanish
Covers 6 myths about water safety and gives the facts. Explains that drowning prevention has 3 parts: taking precautions, having supervision and using personal flotation devices. - Swim Classes and Water Safety (American Red Cross)
Find swim classes in your area. - Tips to Prevent Drowning | Spanish
Discusses why it is important to know the water, know your limits and wear a life jacket. - Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control)
Gives facts and figures about unintentional drowning in the United States and provides recommendations on how to prevent drownings. - Water Rescues: Stay Safe While Preventing a Drowning (PDF)
What to do if you think someone is drowning but you are not a certified lifeguard or emergency worker. - Water Safety Tips (American Red Cross)
Whether you are swimming, boating, snorkeling, tubing or water skiing, these tips will help keep your family safe.
- Water Safety Tips For Families | English | Arabic | Amharic | Cantonese | Oromo | Spanish | Vietnamese | Somali (PDF)
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- Prevent Child In-Home Drowning Deaths (PDF) (Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC)
Tips for keeping young children safe around water at home. - Water Safety at Home (Safe Kids)
Tips to prevent drowning at home, and links to more resources about water safety from Safe Kids. - Water Safety Tips at Home (Safe Kids)
Discusses supervising children, removing water from tubs and buckets, closing lids and doors and being safe around backyard pools.
- Prevent Child In-Home Drowning Deaths (PDF) (Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC)
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- How to Plan for the Unexpected: Preventing Child Drownings (CPSC)
Facts, figures and tips for safety around pools and spas. - Pool and Spa Safety (Public Health - Seattle and King County)
Safety practices to follow, plus links to information about fences and other barriers to keep children away from pools and spas. - Pool Safely (CPSC)
Home page of the Pool Safely campaign, with a section just for parents and a kids’ corner. - Pool Safely (video) (CPSC)
Explains 7 simple steps to safely play in and around pools and prevent drowning. - Pools and Spas (CPSC)
Links to alerts, guides, posters, brochures and more about safety in and around pools. - Private Residential Pools and Spas: Drowning Facts and Prevention Tips for Homeowners (PDF) (Public Health - Seattle and King County)
Details about fences, gates, alarms and other steps you can take to prevent drownings in pools and spas at home.
- How to Plan for the Unexpected: Preventing Child Drownings (CPSC)
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- Farm Pond Safety (Ohio State University Extension)
Rules for children and adults around farm ponds, like ponds used for irrigation or recreation, and an online quiz about farm pond safety. - Hypothermia in Our Lakes and Rivers (PDF) (East Pierce Fire and Rescue)
How to stay safe in cold water — which can be dangerous even on a hot summer day. - National Water Safety Program (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Home page about water safety from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees 400 lake and river projects around the country. - Open Water Guidelines | Spanish (PDF) (summary)
Drowning in open water, such as lakes, rivers and the ocean, is a major concern around the world. An 18-member international task force from 12 countries developed these guidelines for people visiting open water sites. - Open Water Guidelines and Rationale (PDF) (details)
More details for families about each guideline from an international task force on safety around open water. - Rip Current Safety (National Weather Service)
Guidelines to help you avoid getting caught in a rip current. - Rural Water Safety (PDF) (National Children’s Center)
Drowning rates are 3 times higher in rural areas than urban areas. Learn how to prevent rural drownings. - Water Safety for Lakes, Rivers and Beaches (Washington State Department of Health)
Tips for safely enjoying Washington waters at different times of year.
- Farm Pond Safety (Ohio State University Extension)
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- National Safe Boating Council
Training, programs and resources for boaters. - U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division
Safety tips, helpful videos, statistics and more for people heading out on boats for fun. - Washington State Parks Boating Program
Information on boating in Washington state, including boating laws and safety.
- National Safe Boating Council