Widgit Water Safety Symbols (Short Version)

Learning to stay safe around water is important for everyone and the messages are to be shared with both children and their parents and carers.

 Symbol resources in Makaton and Widgit have been created to support learning of the water safety code which is to:

• Stop and think
• Stay together
• Float
• Call 999

 There is a long and short symbolised version of this resource:

1. The longer symbolised version of the water safety code to help people understand what to do in an emergency if they fall in or if they see someone else who has fallen into water.
2. Short symbolised poster version as a revision guide to help remember the key points of the water safety code as above.

The long version of this resource and also the Makaton version can be found linked below.

Designed by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and Gareth Smith, Makaton Ambassador and in collaboration with Severndale Academy, RLSS UK and RNLI.

It is important to consider stage of development: for some it will be vital to consider stage of development and understanding rather than age, where the message will be to keep away from the edge of water and to ‘stay together’ with an adult.  The learning outcome will be to know it is important to stay within arm’s reach of an adult when playing in or near the water.

 Age: 3-7 Early Years Foundation Stage and KS1:

• Headline message: Stay Together.
• Learning outcome: I know it is important to stay within an arm’s reach of an adult when playing in or near the water.

 Age 7-11 KS2:

• Headline message: Stay Together.

• Learning outcome: I know that it is safer to enter the water when I am with someone else, and I know my responsibilities as an individual and in a group when around water.

  To allow maximum learning opportunities:-

• Use alongside the longer explanation of the water safety code.
• Use with water safety photographs to support learning and understanding (some children for example may never have seen a throw/life ring, life jacket or noticed signs that say danger and will have different experiences of water in their area or may never have experienced coastal locations).
• For float: teach the float to live message – 1. Tilt your head back with ears in water and stretch out arms and legs. 2. Relax and try to breathe normally. 3. Move your hands to help you stay afloat. Also to throw something that floats to someone in trouble in the water like a football or life ring.