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Description

A short, active station where members learn the Water Safety Code — never go in after someone, shout for help, and throw something that floats — through a ring-throwing rescue game and a float-to-live practice.

Resources

• Hula hoop or ring rope, as a stand-in for a throw line
• Bucket of water
• Blue chalf / cloth (if not using water)
• Toy figure, to "rescue"
• Long stick or branch, for the reach practice
• Towel, in case of splashes
• Optional: simple picture cards showing the sea and a river, to support the who-to-call talking point

Instructions

Before the meeting, read the water safety code: https://www.rlss.org.uk/listing/category/the-water-safety-code

1. Gather the group around the bucket. Explain that water can look calm but be dangerous — rivers, canals, and even puddles after rain.
• if not using a bucket, put down some blue fabric or colour the floor blue with chalk to represent water instead

2. Teach the Water Safety Code: if someone's in trouble in the water, never go in after them — shout for help, and find something that floats to throw.

3. Teach who to call for help: dial 999 yourself, or ask a grown-up to. If you're at the coast or in the sea, ask for the coastguard. If you're inland — a river, lake or canal — ask for the fire service, not the coastguard.

4. Check it's landed: ask the group, if someone fell in the local river, who would you ask for on the phone? (The fire service, because it's a river, not the sea.)

5. Demonstrate "float to live" — lie back, spread your arms and legs, and float until help comes. Get the group to practise the position on dry land.

6. Let each member take a turn throwing the ring to "rescue" the toy figure in the bucket.

7. If time allows, introduce "reach, throw, don't go" — set the toy just out of arm's reach and let each Beaver use the stick to reach it to safety, staying low and steady themselves.

8. Cover any extra points if there's time: cold water shock, why ice on ponds is never safe to walk on, and always swimming where a grown-up or lifeguard is watching.
• https://rnli.org/water-safety/know-the-risks/cold-water-shock

9. Run the scenario game if there's time: thumbs up or down to short situations, such as "your friend falls in, so you jump in after them" (down) or "you throw something that floats and shout for a grown-up" (up).

10. Close by asking each member: if your friend fell in the water, what would you do - and who would you ask for on the phone?

Tags

• holme-valley-scouts
• Water safety

Badge Links

• Emergency Aid - 999
• Emergency Aid - 999
• Emergency Aid - Help
• Emergency Aid - Help
• Safety - Emergency services
• Safety - Water Safety Code