TranslateWater Safety
Swim Lessons for Kids; Water-Safety Training for Parents
Teaching young children and families how to be safe around water continues to be an urgent summertime issue. In addition to providing Water Safety Patrol lifeguards at our most frequently visited recreation sites, Regional Parks offers the popular Vamos a Nadar (Let’s go Swimming) water safety program.
Designed to reduce drowning deaths in our community, Vamos a Nadar has reached more than 2,000 young people in Sonoma County since launching in 2004. The program partners with local pools, swim instructors and Regional Parks lifeguards to teach lessons to kids ages 5 and up and educate parents and children about the hazards presented by pools, rivers, and lakes. Among other things, the classes inform parents how to evaluate conditions, emphasize the importance of observing aquatic safety rules, provide tips for monitoring children as well as rescue techniques for areas where lifeguards are not present.
Vamos a Nadar typically serves families with limited resources who otherwise probably could not afford swim lessons. After each workshop, families are invited to enjoy and explore the swimming areas together. Each family also receives a coupon for additional swim lessons at all local pools involved in the program for a reduced price of $15.