Nippers

Getting kids active
nippers

are you ready to wear the red and yellow?

Nippers is a program tailored for 5–14-year-olds and their families which fosters a dynamic environment for families to have fun and friendship and gain invaluable life skills.

Through engaging activities centered around surf safety, lifesaving techniques, and ocean skills, Nippers not only builds essential survival skills but also develops a level of camaraderie and teamwork.

These future lifesavers embark on a journey of personal development, instilling qualities of leadership that extend beyond the shoreline.

Nippers is more than a program; it is a community where lifelong friendships are formed, and the thrill of the surf is matched only by the joy of shared experiences.

Lifesaving is something for the whole family to get involved in and there are many supporting roles that you can play as a parent of a child involved in Junior Activities. Surf lifesaving is an amazing activity for growing a child’s confidence, knowledge and skills in the beach environment. Not only will your child have fun and meet new friends they will become part of an iconic organisation that has served the Australian community for over 100 years.

Find your closest Club here

Fun, active,
educational

Requirements

Nippers need to be a minimum of five years of age as at 30 September. Before the start of the Nipper season each participant is required to complete a Preliminary Skills evaluation designed to ensure that each child demonstrates a standard of competence in an aquatic environment. This evaluation may include a pool swim and run-swim-run, where the lengths depend on the different age categories.

Children who wish to compete will also be required to complete a competition evaluation swim in the ocean environment to ensure that they are able to make the distance required during competition.

Please note, while Nippers provides participants with valuable water safety skills, it is not a ‘learn to swim’ program, and there is an expectation that your child has basic swimming skills before commencing the program.

benefits

Builds foundational skills for days on the beach, whether that is relaxing, patrolling or surf sports.
Provides a sense of being integrated into a broader community.
Delivers a source of friends and learning how to interact with others.
Teaches a diverse range of skills, not just beach and water safety, but teamwork and other foundational skills which help later in life.
Helps spark an interest in Surf Life Saving and provides an access point into the movement.
Nippers makes you more confident and comfortable in the water.
After being a Nipper, patrolling seems more accessible and easier to achieve.

What does Nippers aim to achieve?

A safe and inclusive place for young people to build surf awareness and surf safety skills.
Bridges the gap between lifesaving and surf sports.
A pathway into the movement for Nippers and their families.
Playing at the beach while learning lifelong skills and making lifelong friends.
A fun opportunity for families to spend time together at the beach.

How else can you get involved?

Surf Lifesaving is so much more than what happens on the beach. From sports, to administration, to supporting youth, to being paid to patrol - the opportunities are endless!