Parents Night Out
Turn the concept into a learning, skill-building, unforgettable adventure
By Jessica Ralles Laguna
Anyone who has ever worked as a lifeguard knows that parents often use open-swim or family-swim hours at public pools as the cheapest babysitter in town. Parents often mistake lifeguards for babysitters and drop their children off at the pool for hours at a time for the fraction of a cost of a real babysitter. The idea of a lifeguard as a babysitter inspired Aquatic Springs in Las Vegas, Nev., to offer its own, structured “babysitting” event, Parents Night Out.
Parents Night Out events are offered in many recreation and community centers and consist of hours of arts and crafts, games, movies, and snacks. Aquatic Springs, an indoor, year-round swimming pool operated by the Clark County Parks and Recreation department, took the concept a step further and offered its first Parents Night Out in 2017, just months after opening. Since then, the event has been offered six more times.
The event is open to children between the ages of six and 12. All participants are swim-tested prior to the event, and those who cannot pass a swim test are placed in a group chaperoned by a Water Safety Instructor, age 18 or older. Participants who pass the swim test receive an identifying wristband and are allowed to roam freely during the event, as long as they remain within the facility.
Themes To Build On
Each Parents Night Out is a unique experience. Recurring themes are Valentine’s Day in February and Mother’s Day in May. Each specific holiday takes center stage, and all crafts, games, and movies are selected with that holiday in mind. During both events, Aquatic Springs makes sure to honor parents or guardians through special crafts the children can take home and use as gifts. These keepsakes act as sweet mementos and are also used as advertising for the event and facility. The adults who receive the gifts are reminded of the event continuously, and because these homemade crafts are often posted on social media, the event is promoted again.
Field Day is another theme for a Parents Night Out that was held at the end of the school year. The first hour consisted entirely of water games that were held outside the pool. Water-balloon relay races, water-balloon tosses, filling buckets with sponges, transporting water via spoons and buckets, etc., were some of the games played. This was a very popular Parents Night Out, not only because kids love Field Day activities, but because kids love being on equal ground since their swimming skills don’t factor in when playing games.
Water-Safety Initiatives
Staff members also have used Parents Night Out events to teach water safety. The program usually begins with a presentation in a classroom setting. Staff members introduce guidelines for the event and pool rules, and then branch into more general water-safety topics, such as never swimming alone, calling 911 in case of an emergency, etc. Staff makes these presentations as interactive as possible by asking trivia-type questions and playing games, and the children (especially the younger ones) really enjoy playing.
Staff members also present in-water safety topics, such as choosing a lifejacket that fits properly and when to wear it, safety skills such as HELP and Huddle positions, and entering the water using a lifejacket, etc. The children really enjoy reaching and throwing assists. Letting participants use towels, rescue tubes, pool noodles, and anything else they can find on the pool deck to perform reaching assists is both fun and informational. Teaching participants how to properly use ring buoys to perform throwing assists is another activity kids enjoy. Because they recognize ring buoys as items associated with swimming pools, this is a very relatable activity.
In an effort to promote swimming lessons and encourage adults to understand their child’s swimming ability, staff members also conduct swim-lesson assessments during the event. At the end of the night, the adults are given a card that indicates which swimming-lesson level is most appropriate for their child, if interested in pursuing lessons.
Try Something New
Parents Night Out is also a great opportunity to expose children to new aquatic activities. Water polo is a popular activity that can be adapted for all swimming skills by having children wear lifejackets or using inner tubes. Basic water polo skills, such as treading, eggbeater kick, head-up freestyle, passing the ball, and rules for the game, are offered.
Activities from the junior-lifeguard program are also popular. When going over these skills, participants learn the importance of vigilance, scanning, rescue tube use, and the purpose of an emergency-action plan. Participants can practice lifeguard entries with a rescue tube and work on other rescues, such as beach drag and walking assists. It is the hope that the children will gain a better appreciation for lifeguards through these activities.
Lastly, Parents Night Out introduces participants to synchronized swimming. Like water polo, synchronized swimming is adaptable to all swimming skills through the use of pool noodles, lifejackets, water-walking belts, etc. In these activities, children practice sculling and are taught basic figures, such as bent knee, oyster, and the front and back tuck. Eight counts are also introduced, and sometimes short routines are created. This is the activity many children are the most apprehensive about, but often surprise themselves by how much they enjoy it.
Events like Parents Night Out can be so much more than a night of fun and games. Using the opportunity to take a captive audience and introduce safety skills or expose them to new aquatic activities can be priceless for both the participants and the staff members.
Jessica Ralles Laguna is the Recreation Program Supervisor for Aquatic Springs in Las Vegas, Nev. Reach her at (702) 455-1682, or jralles@clarkcountynv.gov.