Your Perfect Getaway

This simple, short exercise gives the students an idea of the lifesaving differences between fighting against cold water and floating to live.

20 minutes
Optional: white board pens
Stop and think
Float

In this exercise you’ll help the children imagine their perfect getaway by the water, before they face the possibility of accidentally falling in, and decide what they would do next.

Guidance notes

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Your Perfect Getaway guidance notes

The average temperature of British and Irish coastal waters is 12-15ºC, cold enough to cause cold water shock.

When people fall into cold water unexpectedly, their instincts tell them to swim hard and fight against it. But when people fight it, chances are, they’ll drown. Instead, they should fight their instincts, not the water, and remember to float - for just a short time, until they can regain control of their breathing.

Help save lives. Find out how to Float to Live.