📝 Step 1: The Basics
Child’s name and age
Class day, time and length
Food allergies or dietary needs
Emergency medicine and who holds it
Favorite light snacks
Adults who bring my child
🍌 Step 2: Before Class
Offer a light, familiar snack about an hour ahead. Banana, toast, crackers, yogurt or a small piece of fruit.
Skip heavy, greasy or brand-new foods right before class. They can leave a child queasy.
Have my child sit to eat. Finish and swallow before going to the pool.
No fixed waiting rule is needed. Swimming after eating does not cause drowning; supervision is what matters.
Wash hands after eating. Helps keep the pool and shared areas clean.
💧 Step 3: On the Pool Deck
Pack a labeled water bottle. Keep it in the swim bag, on the deck or in the lobby, as the school allows.
Offer sips before class and at instructor-approved breaks. Do not wait for my child to say they are thirsty.
Do not let my child drink pool water. Remind them to keep their mouth closed or spit out.
Tell the instructor about unusual tiredness, dizziness or flushing. Take a tired child out of the water.
Keep my eyes on my child. Snacks and bottles do not replace watching.
🚫 Step 4: Choking and Allergy Habits
No food, gum or candy in or at the edge of the water. Finish and swallow before getting in.
Cut snacks small for young children. Whole grapes, nuts, popcorn, hard candy and raw hard chunks are common hazards under four.
Children sit while eating, with an adult within arm’s reach. No eating while walking, running or playing.
Pack only snacks I know are safe. No trading or sharing food in the lobby.
Keep prescribed emergency medicine with an adult. Share my child’s care plan with the school.
🥪 Step 5: After Class
Wait until my child is dry and dressed. A warm child is easier to feed and buckle.
Offer water first, then a snack. Carbohydrate plus protein works well: cheese and crackers, a sandwich half, yogurt and fruit.
Have my child sit to eat. Not while walking or buckled in a moving car.
Pack the snack in the swim bag. Bring a bag for wrappers and wet items.
Never leave a child alone in the car. Not even briefly.
📈 Step 6: Snack and Water Log
Look for a pattern. If my child is tired, queasy or cranky at the same point each week, adjust the snack or timing.
✅ Step 7: Our Family Plan
Who packs the snack and water
Where the snack is eaten
Adults and relatives who need a copy
Changes after the first month
Food stays on dry land. If a child is choking or in trouble in the water, get help and call 911 or my local emergency number. Lessons do not make a child drown-proof, at any age.
