Why Choose Puddle Ducks?
89% of our customers recently surveyed said they chose ‘Water Safety and Personal Survival Skills’ as the reason they chose to join Puddle Ducks.
Drowning is the 5th leading cause of accidental death in 5-9 year-olds in Europe and the 6th leading cause for 1-4 year-olds. As children get older and more mobile their vulnerability around water increases, babies who are not yet mobile and dependent on the person looking after them can drown very quickly and in very little water (so little we may not perceive it to be a risk) such as a bucket, bowl or toilet. Toddlers and children who are more mobile but not as aware of the risks of their surroundings or not yet physically able to pull themselves out of the water are also at risk especially around paddling pools, ponds, rivers, pools etc.
Every year Puddle Ducks hold ‘Water Safety Awareness weeks’, these are weeks dedicated to instilling core personal survival skills. At many of our pools parents and children are encouraged to wear their pyjamas. Wearing pyjamas in the pool (for both children and adults) allows them to feel what it would be like to have the extra weight of clothes and how different it feels and that they can still do movements such as kicking to the surface, turning in the water, reaching, holding on and navigating their way to safety.
During our October ‘Water Safety Awareness Week’ we raise money for our partnered charity Children’s Hospital Pyjamas’, a charity providing pyjamas to babies and children in hospital who may not have access to a pair of pyjamas only a hospital gown, giving these children pyjamas provides some comfort at a time of hardship. Last year we are very proud to say the money we raised provided 96 pairs of pyjamas were donated to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital which have a Neonatal Unit and Childrens Ward, we are looking forward to seeing how many we donated this year.
Did you know?
84% of drownings in the UK, occur inland near rivers, canals and lakes
83% of drowning in the UK occur when there is the absence of an adult
71% of drownings in the UK occur between May and August
2022 saw a 46% increase in the number of child drownings in the UK compared to the 5 year average
Personal Survival Skills
Teaching babies and children valuable lifesaving skills is at the core of Puddle Ducks lessons, with these essential skills threaded throughout our lessons each week but done in a way that they think they are having fun, playing, enjoying songs and spending time with the adult in the pool with them.
Many of our activities develop the skills needed to reach safety if the worse was to happen such as, reaching, holding on, turning, some examples are:
Cowboy Rides – this fun activity (which is as much fun for the adult as the child) is all about holding on to an adult back, but also reaching a point of safety and holding onto the wall.
Monkey Walking – this activity is all about holding onto the wall and moving along the wall to a point where it is safe to exit.
Chasing a duck or toy around the pool – this activity is something even our youngest babies do, encouraging them to reach for a toy or duck is starting to get them used to the movement of reaching for something which will develop into reaching for the wall or a point of safety.
Blowing Bubbles / Spurting – teaches them to breathe out underwater, not inhale water and expel water from their mouths.
Jumping and turning to the float/wall – this is all about the movement of entering the water and turning to reach and hold onto something safe like the float or the wall.
Turning in the water – Even our youngest babies are being turned in
the water during songs such as ‘Where is mummy/daddy’ this is getting them used to the movement of being turned in the water. As our children go through the programme this movement is then encouraged until independent and forms a part of many of our activities.