VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.,
May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/
-- With the launch of its International Learn to Swim
Day™ program approaching on Saturday,
May 18, Swimways Corp., a subsidiary of Spin Master (TSX:
TOY; www.spinmaster.com) is encouraging parents and caregivers to
take steps to ensure their kids learn to swim not only for fun, but
for their safety. Held on the third Saturday of May each year,
Swimways founded its National Learn to Swim Day™ program in
2012. This year, Swimways has expanded its program internationally
and teamed up with the six heroic PAW Patrol™ pups to
convey the importance, benefits and fun of learning to swim to kids
around the world.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children
ages one to four, and the second-leading cause for children under
14. Furthermore, according to research conducted by the
USA Swimming Foundation, 64% of
African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of Caucasian
children have little to no swimming ability.
"While swimming is an important life skill for kids to learn,
it's also a fun activity for families to enjoy together," said
Monica Jones, Vice President of
Marketing, Swimways Corp. "Swimways is passionate about making sure
kids are safer in and around the water, and believes the pool
should be a special place where families and friends can connect
and relax."
For the past three years, Swimways has partnered with the
USA Swimming Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of the national sports governing body, whose
mission is to save lives and build champions – in the pool and
life. Elizabeth Beisel, two-time
Olympic medalist and USA Swimming
Foundation Ambassador is serving as the spokesperson for Swimways'
International Learn to Swim Day™ program this year.
"One of the most special, lifesaving gifts a parent can give
their child is teaching them how to swim," said Elizabeth Beisel. "With the summer swimming
season quickly approaching, it's vital to spread the message about
the importance and benefits of learning to swim."
The benefits of learning to swim don't stop with fun and safety.
According to a national survey commissioned by Swimways¹, more than
4 out of 5 parents understand that learning to swim by age 5
increases a child's self-confidence, but 88% of parents are unaware
that it can also aid in the development of mathematical skills. In
addition, only 14% understand it can help develop oral expression,
and less than half understand that it can boost children's social
skills.
To celebrate Swimways' International Learn to Swim Day™
events, Beisel recommends these activities for parents and
caregivers:
- Get educated with the best resources available:
-
- For learn to swim and water safety resources, visit
www.teachmetoswim.com
- To find swim lessons in your area, parents and caregivers can
visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org to see a list of USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local
Partner swim lesson providers
-
- Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the
likelihood of childhood drowning by 88% (Archive of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine, 2009)
- Incorporate swim training gear, water toys, pool floats and
pool games to make learning to swim a fun activity for the whole
family to enjoy together
-
- To help kids learn to swim, Swimways has developed the Swim
Steps program, which offers products for all skill levels, from
water introduction to water exploration to swim training. Products
range from infant and baby pool floats in Swim Step 1, to swim
trainer life jackets in Swim Step 2, to graduated swim training
vests in Swim Step 3. Families can learn more about Swimways and
its Swim Steps products by visiting www.Swimways.com.
- Practice, practice, practice! In order to develop a love of the
water and a comfort with swimming, children need to consistently
practice in order to enhance their skills and boost their
confidence in the water
To celebrate Swimways' International Learn to Swim Day™
events, countries across the globe are partnering with local water
safety organizations, joining up with the PAW Patrol™
pups, and promoting the Swimways Swim Steps and PAW
Patrol™ learn to swim products, in an effort to spread
the message of the importance of learning to swim.
In the United States
specifically, Leslie's Pool Supplies, Service and Repair will kick
off its Pool Safety Campaign in support of the USA Swimming Foundation at an Aqua-Tots Swim
Schools location in Phoenix. Local
children will receive free swim lessons from two-time Olympic
medalist and USA Swimming
Foundation Ambassador, Jessica
Hardy, play and pose with PAW Patrol™
characters and more. Additional celebrations include Hardy and the
PAW Patrol pups throwing out the first pitch at the Arizona
Diamondbacks baseball game on Sunday, May
19.
¹The Swimways Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among
1,000 nationally representative U.S. parents with children under 18
living in the home, between April 3 and
April 6, 2018, using an email invitation and an online
survey. Results for the interviews conducted in this survey are
accurate to within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points with a 95%
certainty.
About Swimways Corporation
Swimways, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Spin Master (TSX: TOY; www.spinmaster.com), is a
leisure and recreational water products manufacturer striving to
make free time more fun through innovation. Swimways is rich in
traditional values and is respected for the quality and
integrity of its products and services. With distribution in over
20,000 storefronts, Swimways markets four unique brands: Swimways™,
Kelsyus™, COOP™ and Aerobie™. The company's diverse staff is
passionate about developing fun and engaging products for kids.
Swimways is equally passionate about making sure kids are safe in
and around the water and believes learning to swim is an important
life skill. For more information about Swimways,
visit www.Swimways.com.
In 2012, Swimways founded National Learn to Swim Day, held on
the third Saturday of May each year, which is dedicated
to educating parents and children about water safety and the
importance and benefits of learning to swim. Swimways has been
helping kids learn to swim for over 50 years - longer than anyone
else (except parents, of course!).
About the USA Swimming
Foundation
The USA Swimming
Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming. Established in 2004, the
Foundation works to strengthen the sport by saving lives and
building champions— in the pool and in life. Whether we're
equipping our children with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim
through our Make a Splash initiative, or providing financial
support to our heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the
wonderful experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the
country. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org.
About Spin Master
Spin Master
(TSX:TOY; www.spinmaster.com) is a leading global children's
entertainment company that creates, designs, manufactures, licenses
and markets a diversified portfolio of innovative toys, games,
products and entertainment properties. Spin Master is best known
for award-winning brands including Zoomer®,
Bakugan®, Erector® by
Meccano®, Hatchimals®, Air
Hogs® and PAW Patrol®. Since 2000, Spin
Master has received 103 TIA Toy of The Year (TOTY) nominations with
30 wins across a variety of product categories, including 13 TOTY
nominations for Innovative Toy of the Year. To date, Spin
Master has produced nine television series, including the
relaunched Bakugan: Battle Planet and current hit PAW Patrol, which
is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories globally.
Spin Master employs over 1,800 people in countries around the
world including Canada, United
States, Mexico, France, Italy, United Kingdom,
Russia, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, China, Hong
Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.
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SOURCE Swimways Corp.