1. Have kids write and develop a skit about water safety and perform it for the younger kids.
2. Teach younger kids the rules for being safe when in, on, or around water and have them draw pictures to illustrate a rule. Post the illustrations in prominent spots (e.g., on the hallway walls, during Water Safety Awareness Week).
3. Hold a "Water Safety Awareness Day" (e.g., older kids teach younger kids water safety rules, etc.).
4. Take photos of children wearing their personal floatation devices properly or using reaching/throwing aids properly and make a display in the hallway or lobby.
5. For one week (e.g., during Water Safety Awareness Week), include a water safety message with the morning school announcements.
General - Never swim alone, always use the buddy system.
Specific. - Always wear a life jacket when on a boat.
Feet first, first dive
Avoid conditions or situations that could create the potential for danger (e.g., swimming in nonpublic, restricted or isolated areas, or swimming in areas with strong, unstable or turbulent currents
6. Hold a poster contest for kids through art classes at school or other organizations. Find someone to judge the posters (e.g., a local artist), and display the winners in a prominent place (e.g., school, community center, police/fire station, park and recreation center, and local hospital). Provide a prize for the top three winners.
General themes-
safe swimming
being safe at the beach
importance of wearing life jackets
7. Hold a water safety slogan contest.
8. If the school menu isn't set in stone, provide cake, or some other dessert, and designate it as special for Water Safety Awareness Week.
9. Work with others in the community to promote water safety awareness.
Have children write a letter to their local government officials encouraging
them to proclaim a week as Water Safety Awareness Week.
Contact the media and ask them to cover planned activities to celebrate
the week.
Coordinate safety events with local parks and recreation departments,
local rescue squads, local fire stations, or any other appropriate organizations/agencies
(Optimists, Lions, Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.).
Involve the PTA/PTO in planning activities for Water Safety Awareness
Week.
10. Involve the school nurse, clinic attendant and/or health and physical education teacher to participate in Water Safety Awareness Week activities.
11. Each school could conduct a water safety awareness seminar for all teachers, which could be presented by another teacher, a clinician or a guest from the local parks and recreation department or injury prevention program.
12. Ask the children to create a character who would be the "water safety mascot".
13. Have kids develop a water safety awareness proclamation for their Mayor or other local government official to sign, etc.
14. Have kids research water safety or boating safety legislation in Florida and other states and discuss the pros and cons of regulation.
15. Have students design and create a sign with a general water safety message that can be constructed by shop students in the local high school and then prominently displayed at a city pool, local swimming location, etc.
16. Duplicate a catchy water safety brochure or flyer and send it home with children.
17. Have kids research water safety, boating safety, pool safety, etc. on the Internet.
18. Have small groups create a community water safety campaign.
19. Have small groups create a one-minute public service announcement about water safety.
20. Have kids create a water safety rap song/cheer/speech/poem.
21. Have kids write letters to the editor of the local paper, board of supervisors, etc. about water safety issues.
22. Choose water safety related books to read to kids during reading time. Check with a librarian for help in selecting books.
23. Invite a representative from the local Red Cross, YMCA, Coast Guard, fire department, rescue squad, etc., as a guest speaker during Water Safety Awareness Week.