We've some great prizes and money saving offers for your friends in this newsletter.  Check them out here!

Be in the chance to WIN $1,000!

We have 3 competitions with prizes to give away! Go in the draw to win:

1. WIN $1000 worth of Swim Lessons
Simply 'like' the Healthy Swim Australia Facebook page, 'tag' Dipadees Swim School, and 'share' the post for your chance to win $1,000 of FREE Swim Lessons at Dipadees!
Entries close this Sunday 29th November 2020.

2. SHARE to WIN $80 of FREE Swim Lessons
Like and share our Facebook page and go in the draw to Win a month’s FREE Swim Lessons valued at $80.00!

3. REVIEW to WIN $80 of FREE Swim Lessons
If you like swimming with us, pop on to Google and give us a  Google review  to go in the draw to Win a month FREE Swim Lessons valued at $80.00!

What’s happening over the school holidays?

Swim lessons are on as usual over the school holidays, however we do close for the Christmas/New Year break. The last lesson in 2020 is Thursday 24rd December and the first lesson back is on Monday 11th January.
(You won’t be charged for our Christmas/New Year closure).

BRING a FRIEND for FREE to our School Holiday Intensives and Clinics!

Grab a friend and bring them to our School Holiday Intensive and Clinics for FREE! *Our Bring a Friend for free offer is for your friends who are not currently swimming at Dipadees.
Check out the dates and times here.

Share your make up tokens with friends this year!

Holiday time and water safety are always a worry with so many Australians in and around water.  We urge everyone to attend as many swim lessons as possible between now and Christmas.  Each lesson really does count!

As usual we’ll be providing everyone with 3 extra FREE make up tokens in December.  We know this year has been hard for some people so we’re inviting you to share your tokens with friends if you can’t use them yourself. Simply email us on swim@dipadees.com with “Token share” in the subject line and we’ll send your tokens to pass on to a friend. *Gifted tokens will expire on 23rd December 2020. 

Summer Safety

With so much happening over summer and the Christmas Holidays, we thought we’d give you a special issue of tips and treats.
5 tips for summer in the pool

1. Be insistent and consistent that children wait for your permission before entering the water.
2. Reinforce the safe entries your child has been practising at swim lessons.
3. Encourage young children to turn around and kick back to the side rather than always swimming out to you.
4. Trust is everything! If you're in the water with your child and they ask you not to move back, or if you say you won’t move back, then DON’T.  If a child asks not to go under, then DON’T put them under.
5. Trust builds confidence! 

Make light of a fright
Sometimes children give themselves a fright in the water. You can reduce the impact of the fright by making light of the situation.

• Praise any small effort the child made, such as trying to move his legs or reaching out for the side.  
• Your child will retain more confidence if he thinks he has played some part in reaching the side all on his own.

Stay dry if you can
Dry rescues are by far the safest way to rescue.

• If you need to help a child get back to the side, give first preference to reaching out with an object such as a branch, broom handle or towel.
• Tell your child to hold on with both hands while you pull him back to the side, rather than you jumping straight in.

Praise effort
Swimming skills might not look very fancy just yet, but it’s important that you praise and encourage your child’s efforts.

Keep Watch!

Sadly drowning is the major cause of accidental death in Australia for children under 5. For each drowning, many more children are left with permanent brain damage.

• Keep watch means a responsible adult on watch, not an older sibling.
• Keep watch also means that person is “on duty” and remains on duty until relieved by another responsible adult.

When lots of people are having a social time around water it’s really easy for each to think the other is watching the children. Make sure there’s always a nominated person on duty.

Beaches, pools and other waterways
Children need to experience many different bodies of water, let them play in different pools, beaches and other watery places.

Skill deteriorates under pressure
Having the ability to swim around a back yard pool doesn’t necessarily mean a child is strong enough to cope in an unfamiliar or stressful situation.

Swimming ability can deteriorate rapidly in unfamiliar situations or under stress, the more skilled the child in the first place the greater the chances of survival.

I can swim but I can’t breathe
Learning to side breathe is one of the hardest swimming skills your child will learn. This is the time he or she is most likely to lose interest and pressure you not to continue.

Children do not have the maturity to understand that swimming will become easier with practice. Perhaps that's why so many adults will say “I can swim but I can’t breathe!”

The school holiday Fast Track Programs are fantastic for all children, but especially for the beginner levels and children learning to side breathe.

Remember we will be closed from Thursday 24th December through to Sunday 10th January.

- Barb and the Dipadees Team.