Every child grows up learning fire safety: stop, drop, and roll. The ZAC Foundation believes water safety should be just as universal. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause of unintentional death for ages 5–14, yet it’s rarely taught in schools (Read our blog: Why Water Safety Lessons Should Be Required in School).

To change that, we created a school-based and after-school Dryland Water Safety Program that can be easily implemented to teach lifesaving skills in a fun, age-appropriate way, suitable for grades K–4. Each of the two program models come with a turnkey program packet, including teacher guides and step-by-step presenter notes, as well as activities and worksheets.

Ready to bring this program to your school? Email swim@thezacfoundation.com.

The School Assembly empowers students to become Water Safety Heroes by learning how to stay safe around water, recognize unsafe situations, and know when and how to get adult help.

This is a 35–45 minute session.

The Four-Session Module teaches kids the steps they can take to make their homes and families safer around water. By the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to teach others about the ABCDEs of Water Safety (Adults, Barriers, Classes, Drains/Devices, Everywhere).

Suitable for integration into PE, health classes, or other general courses. Each session would be approximately 45 minutes.

The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim

Written by ZAC Foundation founders Karen and Brian Cohn, The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim tells the story of Zeke, a polar bear too afraid to get in the water until his friends teach him about staying safe. Used in classrooms as part of The ZAC Foundation’s curriculum, the book makes safety concepts easy for young children to remember and share at home.

Expanding Water Safety Education Nationwide

After piloting the program in Orange County, California in 2024, the curriculum is now rolling out to schools and after-school programs across the country. The program is currently active or launching in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont.

If your school or organization is interested in implementing The ZAC Foundation’s Dryland Water Safety Program, please reach out to swim@thezacfoundation.com.