Nicole Fairfield’s Joyful Waters teaches water safety with empathy, reducing drowning risk through gentle, trauma-aware approach. Free resources available.
Brunswick, Georgia, United States, 3rd Nov 2025 — After decades in the water, Nicole Fairfield’s trauma-aware “Joyful Waters” approach empowers families to teach love, respect, and survival one gentle splash at a time.
Childhood drowning continues to be one of the most pressing yet under-discussed public health concerns in the United States. According to recent reports, drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4. Despite the persistent risk, national prevention programs have faced reduced funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), creating a need for renewed community action and education.
Nicole Fairfield, a certified swim instructor, has over 25 years of experience in aquatic education and safety. Fairfield, the creator of Georgia Swim School and the #ZeroDrownings movement, has collaborated with early childhood centers, teachers, and families to advance safer, more caring learning environments in and around water. The Joyful Waters curriculum, her most recent endeavor, is a development of her research and experience, with a focus on child-led engagement, emotional connection, and gradual progression.
Unlike traditional swim programs that rely on pressure or strict repetition, the Joyful Waters model encourages participants to learn through understanding and comfort. Fairfield emphasizes that teaching swimming should not begin with fear or resistance but with patience and respect for individual readiness. By recognizing emotional responses to water and integrating them into the learning process, the program aims to build confidence that lasts beyond the pool.
To make these tools widely accessible, the Joyful Waters platform provides a range of free educational resources, including downloadable Swim Cards, coloring books, and a family-ready curriculum that can be used at home or in community settings. These materials are designed to serve a broad audience babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults, and individuals who have experienced fear or trauma related to water.
The mission behind Joyful Waters is to transform how families, schools, and instructors approach water safety education. Fairfield believes that every learner, regardless of age or ability, deserves instruction rooted in empathy and awareness. By meeting individuals where they are, she hopes to reduce preventable drownings through knowledge, connection, and informed practice.
“Water can be both calming and powerful,” Fairfield said. “When families and instructors approach it with respect and patience, it becomes a place of learning rather than fear.”
Joyful Waters is also opening opportunities for speaking engagements and workshops across the country, where Fairfield collaborates with local organizations to share best practices in trauma-aware instruction. Each presentation reinforces the message that prevention begins with education and understanding values that are essential for lasting safety.
Through the Joyful Waters curriculum, Nicole Fairfield continues her long-term commitment to ensuring that every learner can approach water with confidence, care, and respect, creating safer communities one lesson at a time.
Families, swim professionals, and community partners are invited to visit www.navigatingneva.com/joyful-waters to access free materials, join the #ZeroDrownings initiative, or learn more about upcoming programs.
Media Contact
Organization: navigatingneva
Contact Person: Nicole
Website: https://www.navigatingneva.com/
Email: Send Email
Contact Number: +19125717379
Address:139 Altama Connector #185
Address 2: Brunswick GA 31525
City: brunswick
State: Georgia
Country:United States
Release id:36456
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