Camp Administration 101: Guidelines For Swimming

AquaticsNews

Apr 17

Practical tips to ensure a safe program

By Jason Schaitz

Campers swimming and engaging in other water activities with friends can be the highlight of the summer. However, swimming is also dangerous and should be taken seriously. It only takes a few seconds of complacency for a major incident to occur. Here are some tips to ensure swim time is always a success:

1. Never allow swimming anywhere without certified lifeguards. You don’t want to put more liability on a camp by swimming in areas that are not guarded.

2. Counselors should be actively supervising in the water or on the banks in view of the children. Hanging out at a picnic table or lying out in the sun while kids swim is unacceptable. Even with lifeguards on duty, counselors need to be active in the water with the kids.

3. Every child should be given a swim test before being allowed in the water. Use a system like wrist banding kids to identify their swim level, or if they cannot swim at all. Provide alternative activities for non-swimmers, and make sure they are away from the water at all times.

4. Review swim rules with campers before getting in the water, and hold them accountable if they misbehave. Use the buddy system to keep tabs on each other.

5. Try to swim in areas where there is high visibility in the water, such as a pool, spring, or clear lake. If you cannot see the bottom, swimming should be confined to shallow water.

6. Do not allow horseplay in or around the water. Kids shouldn’t be touching each other, hanging on each other or the counselors, jumping in shallow water, running on the pool deck, etc.

7. Avoid crowded swim areas. The more that campers and non-campers are together in high-density swim areas will exponentially increase the chances of an incident.

8. Swim in areas with only the camp group, when possible. Anytime you can avoid mixing campers with the general public, the better the experience will be and the easier it will be to manage.

9. Don’t go on beach trips, even when lifeguards are on duty. Swimming in the ocean, intercoastal waterway, or large lake brings on many more dangers that are out of your control. Things like current, waves, water depth, water clarity, sea life, and the sheer size of the area make it more likely for an incident to occur.

10. Run coordinated activities in the water when possible, but stay in shallow areas. Games like Sharks and Minnows, Marco Polo, and relay races are great ways to keep kids engaged and in a supervised area.

All counselors should be certified in CPR and basic first aid, along with proper training on supervision in and around the water. Have an emergency-action plan in place in case an incident does occur. A well-trained staff that takes the job seriously will provide a fun, engaging, and incident-free experience on the waterfront.

Jason Schaitz is a Parks and Recreation Director with 15 years’ experience managing camps and recreation programs. He also created and manages www.thesummercampsource.com with the goal of providing free resources for any type of camp, afterschool, or childcare program. Take your camp to the next level by visiting The Summer Camp Source and check out the Camp App, Camp Resources, Camp News, and Camp Administration 101 educational series.