Parent testimonial on the benefit of youth swim teams

By admin

Mar

3

This is a testimonial from a parent who understands the importance of a child (age 5) participating on a youth swim team.

“I am still glowing from this afternoon. : The love that you, and your team has shown to and the
confidence that you all have built inside of my daughter is just beyond words! I am so grateful to
you and Staci, especially. Jessi has such a love for swimming and she is SOOO good and you
guys have just continued to push her and love her and build her up and I just can’t thank you
enough.” R.Kaplan

Learning to swim is a life skill that all children should have. Swimming teams have many benefits for kids. Getting your children off the couch and away from the computer and into the pool is not only fantastic exercise but gets oxygen flow to the brain which helps concentration. More than 30% of kids are at risk for obesity-related illnesses. Swimming is a cure.

Participating on a swim team has several benefits including stroke development, endurance, sportsmanship, and competition. These skills will stay with kids throughout their lives.

Swimming teaches the life lessons of sport and sportsmanship which include learning to deal with winning and losing, as well as working with officials, teammates and coaches. Swimming motivates participants to strive for self improvement and teaches goal orientation.
Swimming promotes fitness and teaches a child to strive for physical achievement. Swimming is an exciting individual and team sport. Swimming is relatively injury free in comparison to other youth sports.

Swim teams for younger children should not be high pressure, but should be fun, which is how we run our teams at Baby Otter Swim School. We train, practice and encourage these kids so they start believing in their abilities. Some of the children on
our teams last year who could hardly make it across a pool competed amazingly to win medals by swimming numerous laps and utilizing different strokes. These types of skills and recognition stay with children forever.

Our swim team kids were so proud of themselves. As a expert in the aquatic business for over 30 years and the original developer of the “Turn, Kick Reach” swim technique we understand at Baby Otter how to motivate and make swimming a fun and exciting sport.

The friendships that will develop and the life skills learned will carry on for a lifetime.

Baby Otter is a swim school near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

To contact Baby Otter Swim School, call 1-888-SWIM-KID

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Swim Lessons for Adults: Kids Shouldn’t Have All the Fun!

By admin

Feb

28

How many times do we say to ourselves I wish I had learned how to do this? Well it is never too late to learn anything especially a skill like swimming. Swimming has so many wonderful benefits for our bodies in addition to a must know for safety. Did you know that swimming has the least amount of impact on your body and it uses all of your muscles at the same time. Cardio in a pool is much different then running a mile for cardio exercise. At our school we have had trainers, runners and very well fit individuals who can’t swim a few laps but on the ground they are amazing. That is because swimming is a total different type of cardio as it burns more fat and uses all of the muscles at the same time.

As exercise is an important reason to learn to swim safety is the first. An adult can drown as easily as a child can without the proper skills. In our state of Florida we have canals, lakes and some are on the side of major roads. What would happen if your car went off the road and you could not swim. Most adults who don’t swim either never had the opportunity to learn or had a trauma as a child which inevitably turned into a fear that was never addressed.

Teaching the hall of famer Ändre Dawson how to swim at age 50 and conquer his fear of the water was very rewarding as an aquatic expert. He loved being in the pool knowing the proper procedures to take to overcome his fear. Andre Dawson’s swimming lessons to learn has lead him on a drowning prevention awareness mission. He hopes that his story helps other’s conquer the fear of the water and makes parents aware of the importance of their children being safe in and around the pool.

Swimming is a skill and a social outlet that every parent/adult should invest themselves into. We like to be with our kids and to be able to swim with them for fun and exercise is an amazing experience. Fear is conquered by doing something that you are afraid of over and over again knowing that each time it gets easier. With the right instructor who understands your fear and the proper way to teach can make the experience a wonderful learning time in the pool. The water is empowering, relaxing and the best type of exercise with the least amount of trauma to your body. We have had so many adults who have taken lessons say they wish they would have done this years ago. May it your goal to learn to swim this year and have a water safe day….

Expert in Adult Swimming Lessons Marlene Bloom from Baby Otter Swim School

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com
Marlene Bloom expert in Adult Swiming Lessons at Baby Otter Swim School

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Sun Sentinel Article Urges Swim Safety Lessons for Autistic

By admin

Feb

7

A proud parent of a Baby Otter Swim School student was quoted in a recent article in the Sun Sentinel. Cate Crehan, of Sunrise, whose 4-year-old, Indiana, is non-verbal, credited our program for his progress.

“The water stabilizes him…”He’s like a motorboat, he figured out that he could move,” says  Crehan signed him up last summer for the Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation Florida

Reminders:

  • Drowning Prevention for Special Needs Children:We have our special needs group class beginning in March. We have two spots left. If you are interested in this or know a child who can swim and would benefit from being in the water please call the office 954-704-0080.
  • As swimming awareness is approaching we will be starting our weekly posts on “layers of protection” which is the key to drowning prevention for children. The first weekly tip is the number one layer “SUPERVISION”. Never leave your child unattended for any reason around the water or in the tub

Excerpts from the Sun Sentinel Article: Autistic kids love water, which makes safety sessions vital

experts say South Florida offers the most-advanced programs to teach autistic children how to swim. Instructors here must go through an extra layer of certification to work with special-needs children

“It’s a great model, the best in the country,” says Jack Scott, executive director of the Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. “Florida is trying to teach them water safety rather than have instructors who just throw up their hands and say, ‘They can’t do it…But on the flip side, kids with autism have a special interest with water.”

A National Autism Association poll reported that 92 percent of autistic children wander away, a trait experts call “elopement.” They’re drawn to dangerous spots such as water, train tracks and highway exit signs, association chairwoman Lori McIlwain says.

In 2010, six autistic children drowned in the United States

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The Importance of Swimming Lessons For Children

By admin

Jan

27

As we approach spring time and the weather is warming there is an increase in drownings. Swimming lessons for children and infant swim classes can prevent tragedy from striking your family. One of the greatest causes of accidental deaths among preschool children is drowning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2007 almost 30% of children ages 1 to 4 who died of an unintentional injury died of drowning.

Our five day program designed over 38 years ago was to introduce water survival to children on a one to one basis with the parents watching so they could participate in the long term practice needed to enhance the child’s ability to survive if they should fall into a body of water.
. Generally, the children who have their parents involved in the swimming lessons will coordinate better and become skillful swimmers long before those do not have such opportunity.

In its updated policy, the AAP has revised its guidance on swimming lessons. This new guideline is a monumental change that indicates that the AAP recognizes the evidence that U.S. Swim School Association member schools have been promoting for years: formal swim lessons are a vital part of the multilevel approach to drowning prevention and water safety.They believe that by giving this knowledge to parents, much better results can eventually be achieved, as parents may practice the skills outside the formal environment of baby swimming lessons. Swimming lessons can be an important part of the overall protection, which should include pool barriers and constant, capable supervision
The statement goes on to say that new evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction.

Drownings don’t discriminate. It can happen and does to ANYONE.
There is NO cure for drowning only PREVENTION. Every parent, pool owner should know all of the layers of protection to have in place to prevent these senseless drowning- http://www.tenminutesforlife.com for more information.

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com to preview the DVD… http://www.tenminutesforlife.com

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Swimming Lessons For Adults – Kids Shouldn’t Have All the Fun!

By admin

Jan

27

How many times do we say to ourselves I wish I had learned how to do this? Well it is never too late to learn anything especially a skill like swimming.  That’s why we offer swimming lessons for adults. Swimming has so many wonderful benefits for our bodies in addition to a must know for safety. Did you know that swimming has the least amount of impact on your body and it uses all of your muscles at the same time. Cardio in a pool is much different then running a mile for cardio exercise.

At our school we have had trainers, runners and very well fit individuals who can’t swim a few laps but on the ground they are amazing. That is because swimming is a total different type of cardio as it burns more fat and uses all of the muscles at the same time.

As exercise is an important reason to learn to swim safety is the first. An adult can drown as easily as a child can without the proper skills. In our state of Florida we have canals, lakes and some are on the side of major roads. What would happen if your car went off the road and you could not swim. Most adults who don’t swim either never had the opportunity to learn or had a trama as a child which inevitably turned into a fear that was never addressed.

We had the pleasure several years ago to teach the new Hall of Famer Ändre Dawson how to swim and at age 50 he conquered his fear of the water. He loved being in the pool knowing the proper procedures to take to overcome his fear. His desire to learn has lead him on a drowning prevention awareness mission with our school Baby Otter Swim School located in Plantation Florida. He hopes that his story helps other’s conquer the fear of the water and makes parents aware of the importance of their children being safe in and around the pool.

Drowning Prevention Experts realize the importance of educating parents and pool owners on the Layers of Protection to stop drownings in and around the home. Please tour the website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com to preview the DVD… http://www.tenminutesforlife.com

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Help Special Needs Kids Learn Drowning Prevention

By admin

Dec

9

Happy Holiday Season To All Of Our Baby Otter Families.

Once again we are doing our yearly fundraising for our special needs and underprivileged children. These are the children who are not privy to receiving the very imperative drowning prevention swim lessons offered at Baby Otter Swim School.  Through our nonprofit 501 (C)(3) Baby Otter Scholarship & Education Fund we are trying to raise money to help as many of these wonderful children as possible.

Because of a personal and almost tragic incident that involved one of the co-founders child the importance of drowning was conceptualized and developed over 35 years ago to teach children starting at 10 months old the preventable drowning methods and techniques of Baby Otter.

Since its inception Baby Otter Swim School has met and continues to meet the needs of children from low-income, single parent households and especially special-needs children. But we need your help to continue to offer these services for free.

Our parents have always committed to be involved in our fundraising for this very important cause and I might add that the involvement is a true testament to the good work the school has done in teaching our swimming techniques. By partnering with us on this mission you will have become a part of the solution to one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of 5-DROWNING.

Please take a moment and tour our non-profit site at www.BabyOtterfund.org for more information. You can help sponsor a child through the website or call the office to make your donation. Remember that all donations are tax deductible.

Thanking you in advance from all of the children who will benefit from your kindness.

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The Many Benefits of Joining a Swim Team

By admin

Aug

17

Swimming is a fun team sport and a great way for kids and teens to stay healthy while making lifelong friends. There are so many benefits to being on a swim team.

  1. Just about anyone can do it-All they need is a desire to work hard and learn. An added bonus is swimming can be a lifelong and useful life skill
  2. Affordable-For the skills they learn and the practice time they get in the pool on a weekly basis the fees are inexpensive for the return of benefits.
  3. Social- Swim teams are a great and easy way to make friends with kids that train with you every day. These are long term lasting friendships that share a common goal and likeness.
  4. Fitness-Swimming improves overall fitness. It is much easier on the child’s joints than higher impact sports. Swimming also builds muscle and endurance to prevent childhood obesity.
  5. Self Esteem- On our teams everyone’s a winner at different levels with ribbons, and awards of some sort at the end of the season. The feeling of accomplishment to get to the other side of the pool while people are cheering for you is an amazing feeling to a child who is working so hard to compete. They reach levels of unbelievable proportion and leave with such a sense of accomplishment.

At Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation Florida our teams offer not only physical benefits but emotional and psychological. We have found in our over 50 years in aquatics that sports like “swimming” teach children about setting benchmarks, about seeking improvement and striving for a level of perfection every time they get into the water, no matter how they get across that pool. Our experience has shown us that swimming increases levels of self esteem increasing confidence and lowering stress levels.

In addition to our swim teams starting as young as 4 years old we would like to announce the launch of our new Special Needs swim team. These amazing loving children will experience the benefits of a swim team combined with our professional instruction coaching and most important our love of them and the sport of swimming. The Special Needs swim team is just one of many swimming programs for youth offered at Baby Otter Swim School.

For more information on our swim teams please contact Baby Otter Swim School at 954-704-0080 and visit our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com and our most comprehensive up to date blog at www.babyotterswimschoolblog.com.

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Photos from the Miami Herald Story

By admin

Aug

11

Here are some photos scanned from the hard copy edition of the Miami Herald’s article which covered our drowning prevention & swim safety  event, in Plantation,Florida. Chicago Cubs’ legend and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Andre Dawson , interacted with all the young swimmers at the event. Dawson is the national spokesperson for Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation,Fl. Click Here to read the Miami Herald story on our blog.

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Miami Herald’s article on our drowning prevention/swim safety event

By admin

Aug

10

*All content below is from the Miami Herald article: Hall of Famer helps push water safety (See official article at:(http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1763772/hall-of-famer-helps-push-water.html)

BY HEATHER DULMAN-NICCOLI

PLANTATION

Hall of Famer helps push water safety

Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson makes his pitch for promoting water safety and teaching people of all ages to swim.

BY HEATHER DULMAN-NICCOLI hniccoli@MiamiHerald.com

Andre Dawson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, but the Miami-born legend can also boast about another milestone in his life: learning to swim at age 50.

Six years ago, a friend of Baby Otter Swim School founders Marlene Bloom and Mindy York approached Dawson at a Make-A-Wish Foundation banquet about becoming a spokesman for the school.

“There was one stipulation,” Dawson said, “that I learn how to swim first.”

Wearing a Baby Otter Swim School T-shirt, “The Hawk,” now 56, talked about learning to swim as an adult while attending the end-of-summer splash party and water-safety awareness program Aug. 1 at the swim school at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation, where he also signed autographs and took pictures with fans.

“The toughest part was seeing the kids learn how to swim,” said Dawson, recalling his swimming lessons six years ago. “I’m like, oh my God, these kids do not fear the water. But as an adult, you fear the water, you know what the potential could be. But it’s not difficult if you stick with it and you go through that week of training and get the basics.”

The state faces a dire situation when it comes to drownings, safety experts said.

In Florida, drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for children under 5 years old and it only takes three seconds for a child to drown, according to the Plantation Fire Department.

Staci York, daughter of Baby Otter Swim School co-founder Mindy York, almost drowned when she was 17 months old.

“I won’t let that happen to my son,” said Staci York, 26. Her 23-month-old son, Jayden Cadet, knows how to swim.

“It is important at any age,” she said. “You can fall into any body of water. You need to learn to get yourself out of that situation.”

Shirley Harold of Lauderhill said that in 2008 her 2-year-old great-grandson J’Mari Johnson was found “floating at the top of the pool.”

She has been on a “quest” since her great-grandson’s death and wants people to understand the dangers of leaving a child unsupervised, even for a second.

Harold, a volunteer for the Baby Otter Swim School, said, “It’s not just 2-year-olds [who are drowning]. It’s also African Americans, 15- and 18-year-olds who drown.”

She stressed the importance of teaching people of all ages to swim.

So does the Plantation Fire Department, which presented safety demonstrations at the event.

“We got together with Plantation General with a program that was simple,” said Joel Gordon, battalion chief of the Plantation Fire Department. “We focus on the message, watch the water, watch the kids.”

The Plantation Fire Department presented a CPR demonstration with help from 3-year-old volunteer Jordana Grossman of Sunrise.

She pretended to call 911 and answer a few questions from the operator. There was a dummy in the water and as soon as Jordana got off the phone, firetruck sirens rang out and firemen went through the procedure of rescuing a child.

After the demonstration, the kids and the parents went straight into the pool to cool off and have a good time. On the hot and sticky afternoon, everyone who brought a bathing suit went into the water for a free swim.

“We are one of the few schools that have swimming as part of the P.E. curriculum,” said Saul Kravec, president of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El.

Dawson, special assistant to Florida Marlins president David Samson, said he “gravitated” to the idea of promoting water safety because “of the importance of it.”

The Baby Otter Swim School teaches anyone from 8 months to senior citizens.

“I taught Andre how to swim,” Bloom said. “We are very good with adults.”

Dawson said for adults learning to swim, “I think the older we get, our fears start to intensify, but once you get the basics down and get over the fear, you enjoy it.”

For more information on the Baby Otter Swim School, call 954-704-0080 or visit babyotterswimschool.com.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1763772/hall-of-famer-helps-push-water.html#ixzz0wGjw2gSF

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Watch our new video on Drowning Prevention & Swim Lessons

By admin

Jul

29

Baby Otter Swim School (http://www.babyotterswimschool.com) teaches swimming lessons & drowning prevention  for swimmers of all ages.As we approach August here in Broward County,Florida the drowning statistics have more then doubled. Just today.another child drowned in Miramar.

Last week in Orlando two toddlers were found face down in a pool while a parent was watching the two children. The mother said she only left them for only five minutes. While most of us do leave a room where our children are for a few minutes, parents must understand that all doors to the pool area should be double bolted and one of the bolts should be at the top where the child can not reach. There should be an alarm on the door that makes a loud noise if the door gets opened.Remember, drownings are known as the silent killer, because the victims are unable to exhale and call for help. Together, we can expand awareness about drowning prevention techniques.

The first place a parent should look is in the pool. Layers of protection need to be in place to stop these daily drownings that are occurring in our county and the surrounding counties in Florida. This Sunday August 1 from 12-3 Baby Otter Swim School is partnering with the Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force, Joe DiMaggio Hospital, Safe Kids of Broward County, Red Cross, Costco, The Broward County Health Department and many more to bring valuable drowning prevention information to the families of Broward, Dade and Palm Beach County. Together, they aim to reverse the trend of recent child drownings and to spread awareness about water safety

There will be swimming demonstrations, free swim, and in addition the newly inducted Hall of Famer Andre Dawson will be on site to meet and sign autographs. Andre Dawson is the national spokesperson for Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund a non profit dedicated to drowning prevention. The event was created for all drowning prevention experts to join together to bring information and fun to the public for awareness.

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Baby Otter Swim School Hosts Kids Water Safety Event

By admin

Jul

26

As we approach August here in Broward County,Florida the drowning statistics have more then doubled. Just today another child drown in Miramar. Last week in Orlando two toddlers were found face down in a pool while a parent was watching the two children.

The mother said she only left them for only five minutes. While most of us do leave a room where our children are for a few minutes, parents must understand that all doors to the pool area should be double bolted and one of the bolts should be at the top where the child can not reach.

There should be an alarm on the door that makes a loud noise if the door gets opened. The first place a parent should look is in the pool. Layers of protection need to be in place to stop these daily drownings that are occurring in our county and the surrounding counties in Florida.

This Sunday August 1 from 12-3 Baby Otter Swim School is partnering with the Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force, Joe DiMaggio Hospital, Safe Kids of Broward County,Red C ross, Costco The Broward County Health Department and many more to bring valuable drowning prevention information to the families of Broward, Dade and Palm Beach County.

There will be swimming demonstrations, free swim, and in addition the newly inducted Hall of Famer Andre Dawson will be on site to meet and sign autographs. Andre Dawson is the national spokesperson for Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund a non profit dedicated to drowning prevention. The event was created for all drowning prevention experts to join together to bring information and fun to the public for awareness.

The Miami Herald wrote an article to preview the event. Click HERE to read Herald article.

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Take our Poll!

By admin

Jul

21

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Drowning Prevention Event for Kids & Parents

By admin

Jul

10

Come join us for a fun afternoon.

Held at Baby Otter Swim School

Located at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El

8200 Peters Road, Plantation, FL 33324

Time: 12 Noon to 3 PM on August 1, 2010
Meet Andre’ “The Hawk” Dawson, *Read about Andre’s background here.
Baby Otter’s graduate and national spokesperson, also newly
Inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Special Children Events:
bounce house, waterslide, face painting and free swim.
FOOD
VISIT OUR VENDORS EXHIBITORS
HOSTED BY:
Baby Otter Swim School, Broward County Drowning Prevention Task Force, Broward
County Health Dept. (browardchd.org)
EXHIBITORS: CPR-Etc., Swim Central, Safe Kids of Broward County, Joe DiMaggio
Children’s Hospital, City of Plantation Fire Dept., All American Awards, Gifts, and
Engraving, Pinch-A-Penny, Edna Mae Foundation, State Farm Ins., and Hot Dog Central.

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Baby Otter Swim School Students Love the Pool!

By admin

Jun

27

As you may have already noticed in our Swim School videos, Jayden has a true passion for the pool and no fear of the water. Here’s a recent pic of Jayden leaping into the air to make a giant splash!

Jayden loves leaping into the water!

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Swimming Lessons Are A Gift Of Life

By admin

Jun

27

As July 4th weekend approaches more and more families will be outside in the sun and around the water swimming. People are having barbeque’s and parties. This is when most of the drownings occur when someone thinks that another adult is watching the children in the pool. Parents need to understand that supervision is the first layer of protection in the cure for drowning prevention. There should be a buddy system in place in the pool where everyone has to go to the side with their buddy and the parent who is supervising at that time does a head count. These type of precautions are vital to having a fun and being safe.

Have you ever wondered what to give someone for a gift that has everything. What about a certificate called the “Gift Of Life” for swimming lessons. At Baby Otter Swim School located in Plantation Florida we offer these gifts and tell people it is the gift that keeps on giving. What a way to tell someone you care about them. They actually think of you when they receive the gift and when they take the lessons. These lessons are invaluable and knowing that you were the one who could have saved a child’s or adult’s life by purchasing this is so comforting.

The month of June did not weather well for drownings. It is one of the worst months in history when it comes to these children drowning. These are preventable and knowing how to swim is essential for children as well as adults.  This drowning epidemic is so out of control and this country has not yet embraced the severity of this horrible disease called drownings.

For more information please tour our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com.

Have a Water Safe Holiday.

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Video of Jake’s Swimming Lesson

By admin

Jun

27

Jake learned to swim in 5 lessons from Baby Otter Swim School, near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while he was in town to visit family. Jake executed the turn,kick and reach maneuver, an essential technique to teach your child, for drowning prevention.

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Photos: Andre Dawson visits Baby Otter Swim School

By admin

Jun

23

Chicago Cubs hall of famer Andre Dawson visited Baby Otter Swim School to help with drowning prevention lessons and infant swimming lessons.

Chicago Cubs hall of famer Andre Dawson visited Baby Otter Swim School to help with drowning prevention lessons and infant swimming lessons.

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JUNE 2010 NEWSLETTER

By admin

Jun

22

June has been filled with so many exciting events. Our private programs have been busy as ever. Our little otter and adult otters have been learning to swim and having so much fun. Our unique 5 day program has proven itself time and time again. We get a natural high every Friday when we watch everyone swimming to the steps, swimming to the wall and doing Turn, Kick Reach. We have been teaching so many adults which is so rewarding as well. Just watching these courageous people conquering their fear so they can swim with their kids is amazing. Congratulations to our adult graduates… You have learned a lifetime skill. Keep practicing.

Our Group classes have begun and they are just as amazing as it gets. These kids are all graduates of our private program and now together are practicing and learning more skills in the water as a group. They are just as cute as can be. These classes meet twice a week for one month and you won’t believe the difference it makes in their confidence and ability. Here is a quote from a parent who has her child in the class—Angie Opstad :You are all probably sick seeing my posts, but I refuse to stop when such great things are happening! My daughter (only two and a half years old) swam half the length of the pool at her 2nd group lesson today. Amazing! She is loving the pool, swimming, and all of her wonderful teachers at Baby Otter. WOW!!!

Angie’s pride about her daughter”s progress is common among parents who enroll their child in our swimming classes for toddlers.

Camp Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El began last week with so many kids excited to get into the water and learn how to swim. They are so adorable. This is one of the few camps that include swimming lessons as part of their camp as well as their P.E. program throughout the year. We are the swim instructors for their entire camp and school and I can tell you that all of them know how to swim. For more information on their camp/school please go to their website at www.tkae.org. We also are happy to announce that our two new junior lifeguards are doing amazing at the pool and we feel so lucky to have them join our staff.

We are ready to begin our competition classes for those swimmers who like that competitive edge. Classes are forming now so please contact the office 954-704-0080 for times and dates. These are great classes for those looking to start on swim teams.

Baby Otter would like to introduce our new lifeguarding courses. We will be certifying for junior lifeguarding, regular lifeguarding and the guard start programs for the younger children ages 9 and older. These are great skills to have so please contact the office 954-704-0080 for class times and prices.

Swim Parties: We are in full swing with our fantastic and exciting swim parties. The kids have an amazing time as our trained staff of instructors and lifeguards entertain the kids as the lifeguards make sure that all is safe. What could be more fun then swimming and eating? Let us help you celebrate your special event. Call today to reserve your spot.

Please tour our very informative blog at www.babyotterswimschoolblog.com. Also become a fan and stay updated on the every day activities of baby otter on face book at www.facebook.com/babyotterswimschool.

Have a Water Safe Day.

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Hall Of Famer Andre Dawson Volunteers Time To Kids.

By admin

Jun

19

As his time approaches to accept his most prestigious accomplishment entering the Hall of Fame, Andre Dawson still finds time in his busy schedule to continue his mission with Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation Florida to help stop these senseless drownings. He also finds time to visit their pool located at Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El to coach the kids in their day camp.

Mr. Dawson will be making an appearance at the Temple’s day camp on Monday July 21, 2009 to help teach little ones the ins and outs of baseball., In addition he will jump into the pool with them hoping they understand the importance of leaning how to swim. Four years ago Andre learned how to swim from the coaches at Baby Otter Swim School and now hopes children and adults of all ages benefit like he did from their incredible teaching abilities and love for what they do.

Andre has been an advocate of the school for many years and hopes to open centers in Florida and Chicago making swimming lessons available to everyone. For more information on the camp please go to www.tkae.org. For swimming lessons please tour the baby otter swim school’s website at www.babyotterswimschool.com or their very informative blog www.babyotterswimschoolblog.com.

This summer includes two important milestones for Dawson. In July, Dawson will be inducted into one of the most prestigious communities in sports: the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. One month later,in August ,Andre, who was nicknamed “The Hawk” for his drive & tenacity, is devoting his focus & applying his famous work ethic to a noble cause: child drowning prevention.

“Throughout my career, I have tried to use my position to help as many people as possible,” Dawson said. “The Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund has given me a greater opportunity to help people, children in particular, more than any other charitable effort of which I have been involved.”

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Swimming Lessons Are a Key Component in Preventing Drownings

By admin

Jun

19

There has always been so much controversy in how young a child should or could learn how to swim especially when the American Academy of Pediatrics has totally changed their opinions on the very important topic of swimming lessons.

Many say that a child does not have the ability to understand what you are saying at such a young age so therefore would not understand the concept of instructional swim.  Quite the opposite is true.

Young children understand everything you say, they respond when old enough to talk but understand commands at a very young age. Our 50 plus years of experience has proven that time and time again. Our unique 5 day water survival program does train children as young as 9 months old what to do if they should fall into a body of water. Our program earned its own certification nation wide and in our state of Florida.

If drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-5 then why don’t parents believe they can learn a skill to save their own lives. If they can crawl and get to the water they should be taught how to turn, kick and reach to safety. We teach from ages 9 months to senior citizens in a very precise loving manner. Kids respond to direction, consistency and lots of tender loving care. We provide a technique that allows them to follow a simple pattern every day to make sure that a drowning is prevented.

For more information on our infant swimming lessons,  programs and our drowning prevention DVD please tour our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com and our very informative blog www.babyotterswimschoolblog.com. Drowning is an epidemic that this country has not yet embraced. We hope to continue the mission and cure this most horrible tragedy.Remember, as a parent you can never start too early when it comes to  teaching your child about water safety.

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Baby Otter Swim School Slideshow

By admin

Jun

10

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Drownings are at an all Time High-This is Preventable.

By admin

Jun

6

-        As triple digit heat becomes apparent in South Florida, many kids will be seeking water to cool off, and that means an extra focus on the water safety.-    The    American Academy of Pediatrics has done a back-flip and are now giving parents the OK to teach their toddlers how to swim.

-        According to the Center for Disease Control babies less than a year old most often drown in bathtubs, buckets or toilets; for children 1 through 4, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools. Most children who drowned had been out of sight less than five The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children between one and four years of age be enrolled in swimming classes, to reduce the chances of drowning.

Drownings are very preventable. It is essential that parents understand and implement the layers of protection. It takes more then just a fence, or more then just a door alarm for a home to be safe. Swimming lessons are essential and have proven to work in children as young as 10 months old.  Baby Otter Swim School located in Plantation Florida has been training kids as young as 10 months old how to survive if they fall into the water.  Our over 50 years experience has proven itself time and time again as we get calls from parents that their child had fallen into the water and because of us was able to save themselves.

For more information please tour our website at http://www.babyotterswimschool.com

Also our DVD on layers of protection can be viewed at http://www.tenminutesforlife.com

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It’s not a lack of supervision, it’s a lapse of supervision..Even if you are outside you must be aware of every child in the pool taking a count every few minutes to make sure that everyone is safe.

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MEMORIAL DAY IS THE START OF SUMMER & SWIMMING.

By admin

May

28

With all the excitement surrounding Memorial Day weekend with friends and family gathering to celebrate for pool parties, barbecues, etc., we must remember to keep safe and prevent injury, especially drownings. The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools and in open water sites. Drownings usually occur quickly and silently in a blink of a moment when a caretaker takes their eyes off a child for only that one second.

Please remember some important layers of protection.

1. Supervision
2. Keep pool fences closed when the pool is not in use
3. Make sure the alarms on the door are working and you go directly to the pool if you hear the alarm go off and know that a door has been opened.
4. Make sure your child has swimming lessons and knows what to do in case the fall into a body of water.
5.Take CPR classes….

We at Baby Otter Swim School know the importance of drowning prevention and the layers of protection. It is our mission to make sure that every child is safe in and around the pool. The holidays are upon us and the children are in the pool more then ever so please take this seriously.

Our private swimming classes are in full swing. Your child can be equipped with the proper technique to save themselves in just 5 days.  We have over 50 years combined experience in the field and have our state and national certification. Please call 888-SWIM-KID today to schedule the most important activity your child will ever be involved with.

Our group TKR classes are beginning June 14th due to the high request. We have two spots available for the morning class so if you are interested please contact the office for further information.

We are also beginning our competition class in June for those who are more advanced and need some healthy competition in addition to stroke and technique perfection. These classes are so popular and most important the children do amazing.  We have created some true Olympians from this class.

Have a Water Safe Weekend and remember “Your Child Otter Be Swimming®”

For more information please call 954-704-0080

Visit our website at www.babyotterswimschool.com

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Drowning Prevention 101 From A Mother’s Point Of View

By admin

May

25

My first experience into the world of swimming pools and dangers was when my child was found at the bottom of the pool at 17 months old. I considered myself a very conciencous parent who always knew where my children were. While I was at the pool one day with my two children having a fun afternoon swimming with them I ended the day as any parent would have.

We got out of the pool together I put my son on the chair and put a towel around him. I turned to do the same thing to my daughter and she was missing. We ran around the pool and my son looked at me and said “mommy there she is” pointing to the bottom of the pool. Horror was not the word for my feelings. I jumped into the water pulled her out to find she was blue and there were no breath sounds.

Knowing one of the layers of protection CPR, I immediately did what I was trained to do and started my child breathing. Knowing the importance of swimming lessons I immediately enrolled her in the Turn, Kick Reach Swim Program designed by expert Marlene Bloom and found a new sense of peace with her amazing progress in the water knowing she could save herself  in the water.

At this point of my life I knew that my career path needed to change and I joined forces with Marlene and together we created Baby Otter Swim School, located in Plantation Florida.

We have over 50 years combined experience in teaching swimming lessons and drowning prevention. As other programs that were featured on the Today show were emphasizing a program for children to roll over and float our theory is for them to get out to the closest place they fell in. Children do not fall from the sky so getting to their closest location is a no brainer. Many top experts from the United States Swim School Association stressed to us aquatic members that during ths tsumami kids that could hold their breath were among the survivors.  Our schools program is state and nationally certified and our mission is to save one million children from drowning in the next ten years.  We start teaching children as soon as they start crawling. Our unique 5 day program is geared to all children and adults and we have a 100% success rate with special needs children.

As an expert I have five drowning prevention tips now that Memorial Day and swimming season is right around the corner. First is Supervision, second is swimming lessons, third is fences around the pool, fourth is taking CPR, and fifth is alarms on all doors that go out to the pool.  We have many more layers of protection that every parent and pool owner need to understand; so please preview our water safety DVD called :Is Your Child’s Life Worth Ten Minutes” at www.babyotterwimschool.com. Please watch this DVD every day knowing that knowledge is power. These senseless drownings are preventable. Drowning is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 ;in addition it is an epidemic that this country has not yet embraced.

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How Young Is Too Young To Teach A Child To Swim?

By admin

May

23

When most parents say their child is too young to learn to swim, or won’t get their face wet; this young man started to learn to swim at 81/2 months old. Now at 20 months he is flying off the side of the pool at amazing heights with the knowledge to turn, kick, reach and swim back to the side. His teachers at the Baby Otter Swim School in Plantation Florida have over 50 years combined experience in making these children future olympians.  How many parents can say their young children can look so happy and confident going into the pool.  For more information on all of our programs from beginners to advance please call 1-888-SWIM-KID or 954-704-0080.  Our website www.babyotterswimschool.com

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