For many, the pandemic has magnified our lack of access to aquatics and learn to swim opportunities heightening the risk around our waters. Here you will find information on how to be safe in and around our PNW Waters.
Thank you to all of our partners who work tirelessly to keep you informed about water safety.
Drownings are preventable.
Summer Fun & Water Safety
Water is fun–but nature is a force. Knowing how to prepare, recognize conditions, and handle water safety scenarios could save a life.
We are proud to share with you the Recreate Responsibly Water Safety Edition which provides top-notch guidelines for all outdoor water recreation scenarios.
It’s designed for anyone regardless of skill level, to increase water safety and inspire education.
SPLASHForward in partnership with Washington State Parks and #RecreateResponsibly led the ad-hoc working group for this project with members across the U.S. It was an honor to work with so many fantastic stewards of our outdoors.
Read it and please share it with those you love and your community.
We enjoy a wide range of diversity in our region and in the City of Bellevue. Demographics play a role in access to water and water safety, and SPLASHForward seeks to close that gap. Read more about water safety and SPLASHForward’s efforts.
Access to Water Safety
Aquatic Pathways Mission
Get a Life Jacket
Take this coupon to a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Washington for one-time purchase of in-stock life jackets.
Life jackets save lives—bring one if they won’t be readily available where you are headed and wear it! Plan ahead and find out if there are life jacket loaner stations where you will be headed.
Swim lesson registration for summer lessons is in full swing. With lessons in high demand spots can evaporate as soon as they are offered making the experience extremely frustrating. If you find yourself on the waitlist or want to learn all you can, here are two FREE classes offered by the American Red Cross.
Orientation to Swim Lessons
for Parents and Caregivers
Water Safety for Parents and Caregivers
Water Safety Workshop
Our 2023 Water Safety Workshop date is in the works! To help prepare families for enjoyment and safety in our local waters, we partner with Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue and Rainier Athletes to assemble a panel of local water safety experts to share water safety best practices, resources for where to learn to swim, and where to find safe places to swim.
Our speakers share how to be safe in and around our local Pacific Northwest waters from our pools to our waterfront beaches. Whether you know how to swim or not this workshop provided you what you need to know! We even include a local adaptive swim expert to share water safety tips that apply to our special needs community. There will be something for everyone and on this webpage we share resources you can use to have all the information at your fingertips.
Water Safety Resources
Below you’ll find resources from our Water Safety Workshop. We are regularly adding to these resources and look forward to helping you stay ‘in the know’ for where to safely swim, resources to learn how to swim, and what you can do to be safe in and around our local waters. Most importantly we want you to enjoy your water time!
See below for our Swim Lesson Survey!
Our Water Safety Experts
Learn more about how to be safe and where to swim from our Water Safety Workshop Presenters
Where to Swim
Below are links to our local PUBLIC facilities and lifeguarded beaches where you can swim. See each facilities website to find resources to learn to swim and check out our list of facilities and swim schools below.
Beaches will be lifeguarded daily from 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM June 28 – September 4.
Pool open June 5th – Sept 4th, 2023
Thursdays 11am-2pm from July 6, 2023 – August 10, 2023
Temps must be above 70 degrees
Where to Learn to Swim
Below are local resources for finding swim lessons. See each organization's website for details and availability.
Our goal is to help make it easier to find swim lessons in these challenging times.
Know of a location we should add? Please let us know.
American Red Cross Orientation to Swim Lessons
We realize that finding swim lessons has become much more difficult during the pandemic with limited staffing and facilities. We recommend parents and caregivers watch this FREE American Red Cross course that will familiarize you with water safety and American Red Cross swim lessons. There are many different approaches to swim lessons. This free resource if valuable regardless.
Eastside Locations
Adaptive Swim Lessons for youth, teens and adults
Bellevue, Mercer Island & Renton
Babies, Kids & Adults
Kirkland (Totem Lake), Redmond, Bellevue (Kelsey Creek), Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Renton
Baby, Toddler & Youth
Redmond, WA
Check out their Goldfish At Home program to introduce swim lessons at home.
membership required
Group Swim lessons 3 – 12yrs; All ages private & semi-private; Adaptive Swim
Mercer Island
Seattle Locations
Swim Lesson Survey
5️ MIN SURVEY and SHARE it with your friends.We believe everyone should have access to water safety skills and aquatic opportunities.
Learn more about our Aquatics Pathways mission.
SPLASHForward is leading the advocacy efforts to bring a comprehensive world-class public aquatics center to Bellevue and satellite facilities to the region. We are a community advocacy group, aquatics thought leader, and private funding partner. Our mission is to provide our communities with a year-round health and wellness oasis with inclusive affordable access to aquatic programming so that everyone can be safe in the water, drownings are prevented, community connect fostered, and everyone is exposed to a lifetime of healthy lifestyle opportunities.
Learn more about SPLASHForward
