From the desk of Lauri
Tomorrow morning, something extraordinary is going to happen — and not just here on our deck in Colorado Springs.
At the very same time our Little Fins families are blowing bubbles, practicing back floats, and learning to find their way to the wall, more than 40,000 swimmers in 25 countries across six continents will be doing the exact same thing. Kids in Brazil. Kids in Vietnam. Kids in Nigeria, Mexico, Canada, India, Ukraine, and right here in our hometown — all in the water on the same day, learning the same life-saving skills, carrying the same message: Swimming Lessons Save Lives.
That’s the World’s Largest Swim Lesson. And on Thursday, June 25th, Little Fins is proud to be Colorado Springs’ piece of it — for the fifth year in a row.
I get emotional thinking about it, honestly. Because when you’re standing on a pool deck watching a three-year-old roll over and float for the very first time, it can feel like a small, quiet moment. But tomorrow, that small moment is happening 700+ times over, all around the globe, all at once. Our families aren’t just taking a swim lesson. They’re joining a worldwide movement.
What is the World’s Largest Swim Lesson?
The World’s Largest Swim Lesson (WLSL) is a global drowning-prevention event created in 2010 by the World Waterpark Association. Every year, waterparks, swim schools, YMCAs, and aquatic centers around the world teach lessons on the same day to spread one powerful, simple truth: learning to swim saves lives.
This year is the 17th annual event, and it’s massive — 700+ participating facilities in 25 countries. Since it began, WLSL has reached more than 447,000 participants in 56 countries and generated billions of awareness impressions worldwide.
Tomorrow, we add Colorado Springs to that count.
Why does the timing matter so much?
Here’s what makes this week so critical: we’re heading straight into the Fourth of July and the peak of summer water season. Pools, lakes, rivers, the waterpark, backyard splash time — our kids are about to spend more time in and around water than at any other point in the year.
And that’s exactly when the danger is highest. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 in the U.S., and it’s fast and silent — no splashing, no shouting, often over in seconds. But formal swim lessons can reduce a young child’s risk of drowning by up to 88%.
So we’re not waiting until after the holiday weekend to talk about water safety. We’re getting our families ready right now, before the busiest, most dangerous stretch of summer begins. That’s the whole point of tomorrow.
What’s happening at the Little Fins event?
This is a celebration and a mission, and we’ve packed the day:
- Free water-safety swim lessons taught by our certified Little Fins instructors using our survival-first Swim-Float-Swim methodology
- Hundreds of free lessons given away to Colorado Springs families
- Local vendors with family-friendly resources
- Food trucks — make a morning of it
- Our famous bake sale, with every dollar supporting our Hope Floats Scholarship
- Music, energy, and a whole lot of heart
What is the Hope Floats Scholarship?
Hope Floats is how we make sure cost never stands between a child and the skills that could save their life. The scholarship funds full sets of swim lessons for families who need a hand. And tomorrow, every cookie and brownie you grab at our bake sale goes straight toward funding it. Snack for a good cause? That’s the easiest yes of the summer.
How do I join — there’s still time!
If you’ve been on the fence, this is your sign. We’d love to have your family there:
- Reserve your spot: CLICK HERE
- Where: Little Fins Swim School, Union / Medical Center Point — 1625 Medical Center Point, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
- When: Thursday, June 25th — 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Questions? Call/text 719-344-5328
See you on the deck
Tomorrow, while the world gets in the water together, I want Colorado Springs to show up loud. Bring your suits, bring your sunscreen, bring the whole family. Let’s give our kids the skills that last a lifetime — and let’s do it shoulder to shoulder with 40,000 families who believe the same thing we do.
Not our kids. Not on our watch.
Safety first. Skills for life. Let’s go save lives.
— Lauri Founder & Owner, Little Fins Swim School
Follow along tomorrow: #WLSL2026 #SwimmingLessonsSaveLives #WaterSafety #DrowningIsPreventable #LittleFinsSwimSchool
