The Office of Boating Education takes great pride in educating Delaware's youth on boating safety! We offer several programs to get children interested in and learning about boating safety. It’s important to start early so that each youngster is the best and the most knowledgeable boater he or she is capable of becoming.
"Better Safe Than Sorry:" This 30-minute program can accommodate up to 200 students per session or a classroom of 30. During the presentation the children watch a seven-minute video entitled “Better Safe than Sorry” followed by a basic discussion of water safety and the importance of life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs). As a bonus the children receive a hands-on coloring book. This helps them to remember all that they have learned, and allows them to take home and share their knowledge with their loved ones.
Boating Officer's visit: A Delaware boating safety officer's visit is approximately 25 minutes can accommodate up to 200 students per session. It includes a 15-minute video on water safety, a life jacket demonstration, and a discussion about the "ABC’s of Water and Boating Safety."
"Sidekicks:" This class lasts approximately one hour and can accommodate up to 30 students, ages forth through sixth grade. Teachers can administer this activity to their class on their own. We provide each student with an activity work book which teaches the student all about water and boating safety. Additional materials needed for this class are scissors, tape, and pencils. Frequently, teachers pair Sidekicks with a boating safety officer's visit to help reinforce the materials learned in the activity book. This helps the students get their questions answered that may not be found in the book.
In addition to our Boating Education Program the Enforcement Division hosts two major outreach programs annually for children.