The World's Largest Swimming Lesson

Registration for Participation in The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ Now Open – Serengeti Springs at the Hattiesburg Zoo to Host Second Consecutive Year
Registration for participation in the The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL) is now open, as Serengeti Springs at the Hattiesburg Zoo prepares to host this lifesaving event for the second consecutive year on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in partnership with Forrest Health.

As part of this worldwide drowning prevention event, Serengeti Springs water-safety personnel will teach The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ protocols to 100 children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old. The lesson is designed to introduce young children to basic water safety skills and build confidence in and around the water.
During this event, Serengeti Springs water-safety personnel will teach WLSL lesson protocols to 100 children between the ages of 1 - 4 in two sessions.  
 
Session 1 
Registration takes place from 8:45 - 9:00 a.m.  
Lesson begins at 9:10 a.m.
Lesson ends at 9:45 a.m.
 
Session 2
Registration takes place from 9:45 - 10:00 a.m.
Lesson begins at 10:10 a.m.
Lesson ends at 10:45 a.m. 
 
Each participating child MUST HAVE one parent or guardian accompanying them and be able to participate in the water with them.  Each child participating in WLSL will have free admission to Serengeti Springs for the day if they stay at the park following the swimming lesson, and the accompanying parent and/or guardian will receive a reduced admission price.  
The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ is a global event dedicated to water safety and drowning prevention. The annual event brings together people of all ages and skill levels to promote essential swimming and water competency skills, empowering individuals to enjoy water activities safely and confidently.
The need for water safety education continues to be critical. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5–14, following motor vehicle accidents. Worldwide, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, accounting for approximately 7% of all injury-related fatalities.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Parents or guardians wishing to register a child should provide the following information to zoomail@hattiesburgms.org:
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• List session preference (all efforts will be made to meet your session preference)

Space is limited to 100 participants. Registration will close on June 15, 2026, or earlier if all available spaces are filled.