Olympic Ambassadors Jessica Hardy and Jason Lezak kick off USA Swimming Foundation’s first-ever Make a Splash Games.

How Children Can Learn to Swim for Free MAY 11, 2017 – 11:08 AM  –  By LEAH INGRAM  @theleahingram

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer. With beaches and community pools opening, the need for children to learn to swim becomes top-of-mind once again. Why is that? Because drowning is still the second leading cause of accidental death of children under age 14 in the United States.One of the best ways to prevent accidental deaths at pools and beaches? Teach your children to swim. Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent.I know that my parents started taking me to swimming lessons before I entered elementary school. My own daughters started learning to swim with lessons when they were still in preschool.It’s a reality that not every family can afford swimming lessons like ours could, but that doesn’t mean there is no way to learn to swim. In fact, there is an option many might not know about that fits any budget.Free and low-cost ways to learn to swimSince 2007, the USA Swimming Foundation’s “Make a Splash” initiative has given nearly 5 million children the gift of free or low-cost swim lessons. This is done through the Foundation’s partnership with over 850 local pool partners. This gives children in America the opportunity to learn to swim—regardless of race, gender or financial circumstances. (Use this link on the USA Swimming Foundation’s website to find a free or cheap swimming lesson near you.)

Source: https://parade.com