Drowning prevention and swim education took center stage at Wild Rivers water park in Irvine on June 26, as more than 100 children participated in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™. Sponsored by MemorialCare, the only Orange County health system with a dedicated children’s hospital, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the event equipped young swimmers with essential life-saving skills.
This year’s theme, “Mission Possible: Swimming Lessons Save Lives,” highlighted a critical message: drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4, and it’s entirely preventable. Drowning can happen silently and in as little as 20 to 60 seconds. Yet according to a study by the American Red Cross, 56% of kids ages 4–17 lack the basic swimming skills needed to save themselves in a water emergency.
Swim lessons can make a life-saving difference. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that participation in formal swim instruction can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% for young children. Experts recommend starting swim lessons as early as age 1.
“The Injury Prevention Program works to educate the community and help keep kids safe and out of the hospital, especially when it comes to drowning,” says Jen Rodriguez, injury prevention coordinator, Injury Prevention Program, Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “A child’s lungs can fill with water in seconds. A baby can drown in just an inch of water, even in a bucket or bathtub. That’s why it’s essential to always swim with a lifeguard on duty, or ensure one adult is a designated ‘Water Watcher’ with no distractions.”
Teaching children to swim and be safe around water is not just a fun activity but a critical life skill. Learning to swim, along with the exposure to water safety skills that swimming lessons offer, provides a lifelong foundation for drowning prevention. The swim lesson taught at Wild Rivers included basic water skills such as learning to float on your back, proper breathing techniques, submerging and blowing bubbles, basic swimming strokes, and how to enter and exit a pool safely.
MemorialCare and Wild Rivers are committed to promoting water safety and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn essential swimming skills. Events like the World's Largest Swimming Lesson play a crucial role in preventing drowning and fostering a safer community. Proceeds from the event benefit the Jasper Ray Foundation’s work in drowning prevention.
With arms outstretched and faces to the sky, young swimmers at Wild Rivers learn to float, a vital water safety technique, during the global World’s Largest Swimming Lesson event, sponsored by MemorialCare.
At Wild Rivers, swim instructors led a lively group of young swimmers through basic stroke techniques during a hands-on water safety session designed to build confidence and skills in the pool.
Following the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, excited children flocked to the MemorialCare booth to grab summer-ready giveaways—including sunglasses, sunscreen, a ‘Mille the Dolphin’ squishy, swim safety cards, and water safety whistles—making a splash with safety and fun.
