Not Every Child Gets the Chance to Learn to Swim – Step Into Swim and Big Dreams Through Small Steps Are Changing That in Manatee County

Swim lessons have long been treated as a privilege — an optional enrichment reserved for those with the means and access to pools, instruction, and time. But drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death for young children, particularly in states like Florida, where water is a part of daily life. Swim education shouldn’t be an add-on. It should be a foundation.

That’s the belief driving the mission of Step Into Swim, a national initiative dedicated to turning the tide in water safety disparities. With a focus on equity and access, Step Into Swim is funding programs nationwide to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, income, or location, have the opportunity to learn to swim.

In Manatee County, Step Into Swim is partnering with the local nonprofit Big Dreams Through Small Steps to offer free swim lessons, safety education, and drowning prevention resources to children in underserved communities. Through their initiative, AQUAlibrium Drowning Prevention, children ages 3–5 are being offered up to 10 free swim lessons — a critical step toward making water safety a reality, not a luxury.

Big Dreams Through Small Steps

This partnership reflects a growing movement to embed swim education into the fabric of early childhood learning, alongside reading, biking, and other basic life skills. By targeting families who face financial barriers, live in neighborhoods without pool access, or come from historically underserved communities, the initiative is opening doors that have been closed for far too long.

The message is simple and urgent: water safety isn’t optional — it’s essential. And with every child that learns to swim, lives are not only changed — they are saved.

💧Join the movement. Advocate for equity. Support access. Open more doors to swim education — because every child deserves the chance to learn.