The American Red Cross believes that one way to help reduce drownings in children ages 5-12 is to teach water safety education in elementary schools and other youth programs. The American Red Cross created Longfellow's WHALE Tales to help teachers and youth leaders in teaching children about safe behavior in, on and around the water. The class and the materials available here are designed to give children an awareness of being safe around the water and to help promote healthful aquatic recreation.
Commodore Wilbert E. Longfellow (right) started the Red Cross Lifesaving Corps in 1914 to train volunteers in the methods of lifesaving and resuscitation. His next step was to provide large-scale instruction in swimming. The Commodore's teaching philosophy was to "entertain the public hugely while educating them gently." He did just that. In tribute to Commodore Longfellow, who was known as the "amiable whale," the mascot for the class is Longfellow, a blue whale (shown at top).
FREE! Request an instructor to teach WHALE Tales to your class/group
Downloadable Activity Sheets
Which Are Safe? (coloring and activity)
Color the pictures that show safety rules being observed...
What Do They Supervise? (coloring and activity)
Match the supervisors and the places they supervise by drawing a line...
Lifeguard Word Search
Color the pictures that show safety rules being observed...
Pool Rules (color and complete the sentence)
These children know how to swim, but some of them have never heard of water safety. By completing these rules, you can learn from their mistakes...
Safe Pool Behavior (coloring and activity)
Put an X on the pictures that show children who have forgotten safe behavior at the pool...
Secret Message (word puzzle)
Write the answer to each word puzzle in the spaces below. When all blanks are filled in, use the circled letters to complete the secret message...
Ice Self-Rescue (color and fill in the blank)
Learn what to do if you fall through the ice. Fill in the blanks of the following sentences using the words given...
Safe Boating Search
There are 10 safety items in the picture that should be taken on a boating trip...