Lessons, Gear, and Tips for Safe Swimming: "National Learn To Swim" Day

Happy "National Learn To Swim" Day! The moms of Black New Orleans Mom teamed up to bring awareness to the importance of teaching kids how to swim from a young age. According to a 2017 study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation and done by researchers at the University of Memphis, black children are 6 times more likely to drown than white children. Swim lessons SAVE LIVES and can help reduce the risk of drowning by 88%, according to the USA Swimming Foundation.

Below you can find places to book swim lessons, safe pool tips, and so much more.

Swim Lessons

• Brown Girls Swim Nola

• Mr. Mike’s Swimming

• CategorE 5.0

• UNO Aquatics

• Ochsner Fitness Center

• YMCA

• Love Swimming

• JCC Swim School

• Little Fins Swim Academy

Tips for being safe around the pool

• Bright-colored swimsuits so your child can be easily spotted

• Select a location to meet up at if anyone gets separated

• Make sure everyone is getting adequate shade and hydration while in the sun

• Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen! for everyone older than 6 months

• Sunscreen can lead to rash, dry/cracked skin, or even systemic chemical toxicity in babies under 6 months. Instead of sunscreen, you can use rash guards, long swimsuits, and sunhats to keep your baby happy and cool.

Swim Gear

• If your child is not yet a confident swimmer, a little extra support could help them feel safer in the water. This swim vest is a great device to keep them afloat! It’s easy to inflate and works beautifully.

• Black Girl Sunscreen Kids

• Swimma Caps for big and natural hair

Places to Swim

The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) has public pools throughout the city, some year-round, and some opening June 6th. Look at the website for all their aquatic programming, including free swim lessons! Reservations required.

Year-round pools

• Joe W. Brown Indoor Pool - 5601 Read Blvd.

• Gert Town Natatorium - 3411 Broadway St.

• Sanchez Indoor Pool - 1616 Caffin Ave.

• Treme Indoor - 900 N. Villere St.

Pools opening June 6th

• A.L. Davis Pool - 2600 LaSalle St.

• Lyons Pool - 624 Louisiana Ave.

• Sampson Pool - 3211 Treasure St.

• Stallings Gentilly Pool - 2700 Lapeyrouse St.

• Stallings St. Claude Pool - 4300 St. Claude Ave.

• Whitney Young Pool - 6500 Magazine St.

Bonus Tip: If you’re looking for a more intimate place to take some laps with your littles, consider renting a pool! Swimply is a service that allows you to have a pool to yourself for an hour or the whole day. Many come with fun amenities like a grill or pool toys. Check out the pools available in the New Orleans area.

Be sure to share this information with parents with young children so we can all help save a life!