Being in, on, or around the water, is a way of life for many children in Australia. Sadly however, drowning is the greatest cause of accidental death in children under five in Australia.
So with the hot days of summer here, it is a great time to remind children about the importance of water safety.
And that is exactly what Goodstart Oakhurst has planned for its class of 20 preschoolers.
In a special community partnership with Blacktown Council and Aqua Learn to Swim, Pip the Penguin mascot made a special visit to centre this week to teach children how to stay water safe.
Goodstart Oakhurst early childhood teacher Julie Johnston-Doyle said educating young children in a fun way about the importance of water safety was a great initiative to bring to the centre.
“As part of the programs we offer at Goodstart, our educators create learning environments and experiences for children that balance exploration and challenge in their play with an ongoing focus on safety and safe play. With summer upon us, exploring the importance of water safety was something we were keen to introduce at the centre,” Miss Johnston-Doyle said.
“We believe it is never too early to start teaching children the importance of water safety. We are very excited to have established a partnership with Aqua Learn to Swim who are kindly giving their time to come and teach our youngsters about pool safety, fences, supervision and the importance of learning to swim.
"It was a wonderful session and the children were very engaged and asked lots of questions. We look forward to making this a regular ocassion in the centre," she said.
So with the hot days of summer here, it is a great time to remind children about the importance of water safety.
And that is exactly what Goodstart Oakhurst has planned for its class of 20 preschoolers.
In a special community partnership with Blacktown Council and Aqua Learn to Swim, Pip the Penguin mascot made a special visit to centre this week to teach children how to stay water safe.
Goodstart Oakhurst early childhood teacher Julie Johnston-Doyle said educating young children in a fun way about the importance of water safety was a great initiative to bring to the centre.
“As part of the programs we offer at Goodstart, our educators create learning environments and experiences for children that balance exploration and challenge in their play with an ongoing focus on safety and safe play. With summer upon us, exploring the importance of water safety was something we were keen to introduce at the centre,” Miss Johnston-Doyle said.
“We believe it is never too early to start teaching children the importance of water safety. We are very excited to have established a partnership with Aqua Learn to Swim who are kindly giving their time to come and teach our youngsters about pool safety, fences, supervision and the importance of learning to swim.
"It was a wonderful session and the children were very engaged and asked lots of questions. We look forward to making this a regular ocassion in the centre," she said.