11 hours ago
Goldfish Swim School encourages early swim lessons to prevent drownings
AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — Goldfish Swim School in Amherst is joining a global effort to raise awareness about swim safety as part of The World's Largest Swim Lesson, an annual drowning prevention event.
The school offers free lessons to local families while sharing water safety tips. General Manager Nick Patterson said starting children in swimming lessons as early as four months old is critical.
'That's why we open our doors at four months old and continue up to 12 years,' Patterson said. 'Getting kids involved in the water early means that by age one to four, they're able to swim on their own, without floaties of course, with parent supervision.'
According to Patterson, drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4. He said lessons can reduce the risk by 88 percent.
Instructors teach practical life-saving skills, including the 'sea otter back float,' which helps children float and breathe if they find themselves struggling in the water.
'All they need to do is roll over to their back so they can get that rescue breath and continue swimming to safety,' Patterson said.
Children are also taught how to safely exit the pool using a technique called the 'fin-fin belly flipper.'
'It's grabbing the wall with both arms, putting their belly against the wall, and guiding their leg out of the water to push them up to safety,' he said.
Beyond physical safety, Patterson said early swimming education helps build confidence in the water, especially for families where parents never learned to swim themselves.
'A lot of parents bring their kids here because they grew up scared of the water and don't want that for their children,' Patterson said.
The school also recommends parents dress their children in bright-colored swimsuits for visibility and ensure they wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket near open water.
Whether heading to the pool, lake, or any body of water this summer, experts say ensuring your child can swim is one of the best ways to keep them safe.
For more information on swim classes, click here.
Gwyn Napier is a reporter who joined the News 4 team in 2025. See more of her work by clicking here.
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