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Learning to swim is an important skill, especially in Alaska. The state has the longest coastline and the highest rates of drowning in the country. One way to reduce that risk is through swim lessons. And in Juneau, babies can start learning as young as six months.
The city’s Parent and Tot swim classes do more than give babies playtime in the pool. Juneau’s Aquatics Programming Coordinator Ellen Johnston said it teaches both parent and child how to be safe in the water.
“The parent is learning how to make the water a safe and fun place and introduce basic swim concepts like buoyancy and breath control through blowing bubbles,” she said. “And the child is learning that the water is a safe, fun place to be, but also a place where, you know, there are limits and safety considerations.”
Southeast Alaska has the third highest drowning rate in the state, according to the most recent state report. Johnston said these classes can teach children life-saving skills.
“Water is an unavoidable fact of life in Juneau, and making sure that kids know how to avoid unsafe incidents in the water and what to do if they see or [are] involved in a dangerous water incident can really be the difference in saving a life,“ she said.
Johnston said this class is one of the most popular ones the city pools offer. She said they’re currently running four classes, but that number changes throughout the year depending on staffing.
Katie McKeown is one of the swim instructors for the class. She got certified to teach in January because she thought the city needed to offer more classes.
“I noticed there were less and less swimming lessons available to my own kids, and I just saw that demand,” McKeown said. “And instead of complaining about it anymore, I really just wanted to do something.”
McKeown put her own kids through swim lessons at the local pool and wanted to make sure other parents had the same opportunity she did. She said it’s rewarding to teach classes for some of the pool’s youngest patrons.
“There are babies on the first day that are completely terrified, so mad about being there, and they’re crying, and then by the last class, like today, they’re completely relaxed in the water,” she said. “They’re going under with their parents, they’re all just so excited, and everybody is so supportive of all the other babies.”
Amanda Ryals is in the class with her nine-month-old son T.J. Ryals said she’s learned a lot from the class on how to be safe in the water with her baby.
“It’s not something that I know how to teach him, necessarily, without instruction,” Ryals said. “So the instructors are pretty awesome and working with us, and he’s doing great in the classes.”
She said they’re signed up for another session of classes and hope to keep coming back to the pool.
“He’s going to be a water baby, we think. So we want him to get as much time in the water as he can and enjoy it,” Ryals said.
The current session of classes will keep running through May and June, and Johnston said they typically offer more year round.
