By: Eric Cohen

We get a lot of pitches here at Macaroni Kid. Most of them we pass on, but this one is too important, so thanks to Swimways, May 19th is National Learn to Swim Day.  As the weather heats up, pools, lakes, beaches and rivers beckon, and knowing how to swim can be the difference between life and death for kids (and adults) this summer. 

Here are some facts:

    According to the Red Cross, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years old.
    Statistics show that children ages 1 to 4 drown most often in home swimming pools.
    Children were often out of sight less than 5 minutes and under the care of one or both parents at the time of many home pool drownings. 

There are many ways to get involved with your community on National Learn to Swim Day. Ideas for participating locally include introducing children to the water with at home swim instruction, hosting a group swimming lesson, visiting a community pool as a family, or enrolling children in swim lessons at a local YMCA or Boys & Girls Club. The time to start thinking about swimming is before the official summer swimming season begins on Memorial Day. 

For more information, please consider the following tools from the Red Cross:

    Home Pool Safety Tips
    Swimming in Lakes, Rivers and Streams Safety Tips
    Water Safety in the Home Tips

Thanks to Swimways.com for sharing this important information.