06/19/2026
"Why do we teach kids to jump in and turn to the wall?"
It might look simple, but this is one of the most important water safety skills kids can learn.
If a child accidentally falls into a pool, the most common response is to swim towards the first wall they see. The problem with this is that it's often the farthest from them.
By teaching them to jump in and turn to the wall behind them, we're helping program into muscle memory that the wall behind them is the closest.
This skill teaches swimmers how to:
✔️stay calm after entering the water
✔️turn their body to find the wall
✔️move to safety and get out
It's not just practice, it's preparation.
In the water, knowing what to do right away can make all the difference.
Have you seen your swimmer practice this skill yet?