AuQUA Life Resources

Practical Water Safety Resources

Explore Autism-informed information, planning tools, visual supports, and social stories designed to help Autistic individuals, families, caregivers, professionals, and communities build safer and more positive relationships with water.

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Resource Library

Find Tools That Support Water Safety

Select a category below to explore downloadable resources. These materials can be used at home, in schools, at pools, in community programs, and anywhere individuals and families may interact with water.

Learn and Understand Information & Support Articles, reference materials, and introductory information about Autism, water safety, supervision, wandering, sensory experiences, and community support.

Information & Support Resources

Use these resources to strengthen understanding of Autism-informed water safety and identify areas where additional planning or support may be helpful.

Autism and Water Safety Overview An introduction to water-related risks, protective strategies, and Autism-informed approaches to safety. PDF Wandering and Water Attraction Information about wandering risk, water attraction, environmental awareness, and proactive preparation. PDF Sensory Considerations Around Water A family-friendly overview of sensory experiences that may affect water comfort, participation, and safety. PDF Finding Water Safety Support Questions families can ask when seeking swim instruction, recreation programs, or community support. PDF
Plan and Prepare Guides & Toolkits Planning templates, checklists, risk scans, emergency preparation materials, and practical implementation tools.

Guides & Toolkits

Download and personalize these tools to support consistent safety planning across caregivers, professionals, programs, and community settings.

Family Water Safety Plan A fillable planning tool for documenting risks, routines, supervision responsibilities, and contacts. PDF Home Water Risk Scan A room-by-room checklist for identifying bathrooms, pools, doors, gates, containers, and other water risks. PDF Public Water Setting Checklist A preparation guide for pools, beaches, lakes, splash pads, hotels, water parks, and community events. PDF Emergency Preparation Toolkit An editable toolkit for emergency contacts, identification information, response steps, and caregiver coordination. DOCX School and Program Coordination Form A communication form for sharing water-related needs, routines, risks, and supports with programs. DOCX
Communicate and Practice Visual Supports Communication boards, visual schedules, safety reminders, transition supports, and printable routine cards.

Visual Supports

These printable materials can help clarify expectations, support communication, reduce uncertainty, and reinforce consistent routines before and during water activities.

Water Safety Communication Board Common words and symbols for communicating needs, choices, discomfort, breaks, safety, and assistance. PDF Swimming Visual Schedule A step-by-step visual sequence for preparing, changing, entering the water, swimming, and leaving. PDF First-Then Water Activity Cards Adaptable cards for explaining transitions, expectations, breaks, and preferred activities. PDF Water Safety Rule Cards Printable reminders for waiting, asking permission, staying with an adult, and entering water safely. PDF Life Jacket Visual Guide A visual sequence for choosing, putting on, checking, wearing, and removing a life jacket. PDF
Preview and Prepare Social Stories Supportive stories that introduce water experiences, explain expectations, and prepare individuals for new environments and routines.

Social Stories

Read these stories before an activity to help make water-related environments and expectations more familiar, understandable, and predictable.

Going to the Swimming Pool A story about preparing for the pool, following safety rules, changing clothes, swimming, and leaving. PDF Meeting My Swim Instructor A story introducing swim lessons, instructors, communication, practice, breaks, and asking for help. PDF Wearing My Life Jacket A story explaining why a life jacket is worn, how it may feel, and when it should stay on. PDF Visiting the Beach A story about waves, sand, boundaries, staying with a support person, and taking sensory breaks. PDF Leaving the Water Safely A story supporting transitions out of the water and explaining what happens after swimming ends. PDF
Individualized Support

Adapt Resources to the Individual

These resources provide a starting point and should be individualized whenever possible. Consider the person’s preferred communication methods, sensory experiences, water skills, support needs, and environments when selecting or adapting a resource.

Continue Learning About Water Safety

Explore the Water Safety for Parents learning series for additional information about layered protection, water familiarization, adapted swim instruction, communication, safety routines, and emergency preparation.

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