Self-rescue lessons are offered in Vernon NJ and Warwick NY.
ISR lessons save little lives!
FAQs
I hear you say your priority is survival skills. Will my child learn to actually swim?
Yes. At ISR, we believe that part of survival for a child who can walk is swimming. Children learn the
swim-float-swim sequence so that they could get themselves to safety. The difference in our program is
that they will learn swimming AND survival skills and how to be an aquatic problem solver.
Why do you have the children swim in clothes?
Because 86% of children who fall in the water do so fully clothed, we want our students to have
experience with such a situation. If a child has experienced the sensations of being in the water in
clothing prior to an emergency situation, he/she is less likely to experience panic and be able to focus on
the task at hand. If you have ever jumped in the water with clothes on, then you know that there is a
significant difference in weight and feel with clothes as opposed to a bathing suit.
Is it the baby fat that makes them float?
Actually, the primary factor in a baby’s ability to float is the ability to take air into the lungs. To maintain
this access to air, the child must adjust his/her posture. The difference in positioning for an adult can be
inches. For a baby, this adjustment is reduced to centimeters. If a child’s body posture is just a few
centimeters off, it can make the difference between the face being submerged or the child having access
to air.
How can you teach babies and young children to swim?
ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They
understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor
learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each
child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.