The Watching Initiative
Simple, active strategies to keep kids safe in and around water
Putting the “How” in Water Safety
“Get your kids enrolled in swimming lessons.”
“Don’t wear puddle jumpers.”
“Always buy the neon swimsuit.”
You’ve probably heard these water safety “dos” and don’ts.”
In reality, no ONE thing is enough to keep kids safe. Water safety needs to be proactive and multi-layered. And it needs to be accessible to everyone—even families who can’t access traditional swim lessons.
The Watching Initiative was created to teach all families the everyday water safety strategies of the Watch-Wait-Swim Method.
Who is CPR certified?
Assign a waiting area.
Touch and active watching.
Cell phones down.
Have appropriate personal flotation devices (PFDs).
Install all barricades.
Never leave without checking entry points.
Get your child enrolled in swim lessons.
Join the movement to end childhood drowning. Make your family’s Water Safety Plan today.
Parents Will Watch
Active, distraction-free watching and backup protections like barricades and CPR certification
Kids Will
Wait
Clear, consistent water boundaries that teach kids never to enter the water alone
Families Will Swim
Foundational self-rescue, swim, and safety skills, plus guidelines for PFDs
A Deep Dive on the Eight Watching Initiative Strategies
Who is CPR Certified?
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Assign a Waiting Area
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Touch and Active Watching
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Cell Phones Down
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Have Appropriate Personal Floatation Devices
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Install All Barricades
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Never Leave Without Checking Entry Points
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Get Your Child Enrolled in Swim Lessons
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Introduce Your Kids to the Waiting Whales
Get your kids excited about water safety with the Waiting Whales! These loveable friends are on a mission to end childhood drowning, and you'll find them throughout our free resources and featured on our Water Safety Kits.
Drowning isn't a kid problem; it's an adult problem.
And it's up to us to solve it.
Your kids are counting on YOU to put safety strategies in place and empower them to make safe choices around water.