Swimming Lessons

Click image above to view or print our water safety one-sheeter.

Whether it’s bathtime, swimming, jumping in puddles or simply splashing around at the beach, water-play remains a common favorite activity among kids with autism. Unfortunately, water also carries signicant risk for those who wander off. According to NAA research, the leading cause of death in autism-related wandering cases is drowning. Therefore, it’s extremely important to enroll your child into swimming lessons as early as possible.

Ways to find swim lessons in your area:

• Ask your local swim facility, such as YMCA, to provide swimming lessons that can accommodate your child’s unique needs.
• Safe Splash Swim School has 100+ U.S. locations and provides swimming lessons specically for those with autism and other special needs (safesplash.com)
• Google ‘Special Needs Swimming Lessons’ + Your City, State.

Search for a swim school in your area that is a member of the United States Swim School Association. The association teaches a course internationally that trains swim instructors how to teach swimmers with special needs.

For kids with autism, final lessons should be done with clothes & shoes on.

Register your Swim School with NAA’s Autism Swim Connect.