Powell, OH – Zoombezi Bay is once again joining forces with the world’s leading water safety and training organizations as an official host location for the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ (WLSL). The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2025, in the park’s Wild Tides Wave Pool, and highlights the critical importance of teaching children how to swim. Tickets are still available for this popular event.
Now in its 16th year at Zoombezi Bay, the global WLSL initiative unites aquatic facilities, swim instructors, and water safety advocates to deliver a basic 30-minute swim lesson for children and teens ages 2 years and older. Zoombezi Bay will join hundreds of venues across the globe in attempting to break the Guinness World Record™ for the largest simultaneous swimming lesson.
The swim lesson at Zoombezi Bay will be led by the park’s trained lifeguards, with all participant ratios adhering to American Red Cross safety standards. Parents are welcome to accompany their children in the pool, and the session will be structured into shorter, age-appropriate segments ranging from 4 to 10 minutes. During the event, the wave pool will be open only to WLSL participants and will reopen to the general public immediately following the lesson.
To thank guests for participating, Zoombezi Bay is offering a special admission rate of $18 per WLSL participant, which includes access to the full waterpark and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for the remainder of the day. The lesson is free for Zoombezi Bay Season Pass Holders, and accompanying guests will pay standard admission. (Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by a guardian.)
Check-in begins at 9:15 a.m. at the Zoombezi Bay Season Pass entrance, with pre-registration encouraged but not required for all guests, including Season Pass Holders. Tickets can be purchased at the admission window on the day of the event. For details and registration, visit the Events Page on the Zoombezi Bay website.
Why Water Safety Matters
Drowning remains a global and national public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 4,500 people drowned annually in the United States between 2020 and 2022—a significant increase compared to previous years. Children remain especially vulnerable: drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the U.S., and nearly 40% of drownings treated in emergency departments result in hospitalizations—three times higher than for other unintentional injuries.
Additional statistics highlight the critical need for increased awareness and formal swim instruction:
- A 2020 American Red Cross study found that 56% of children ages 4–17 lack the basic water safety skills needed to save their own lives.
- A report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that 69% of young children who drowned were not expected to be in or near water—and 88% were under some form of supervision at the time.
- July is the most dangerous month for drownings in the U.S., accounting for nearly 17% of all annual incidents.
These statistics reinforce the urgency of water safety education and why opportunities like WLSL are so important for families and communities.
Building a Global Movement
Since its launch in 2010, the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson has reached more than 383,000 children and adults in 53 countries across six continents, generating over 2.7 billion life-saving media impressions. Zoombezi Bay is proud to have participated in this event every year since its inception.
Before and after the swim lesson, guests can say hello to aquatic Character Ambassadors, who will be decked out in their Zoombezi best. Following the lesson, guests will also enjoy special Animal Ambassador meet-and-greets from the Columbus Zoo (weather permitting).
Zoombezi Bay is open daily through August 17, 2025, and then weekends only from August 23 – September 7, 2025. Zoombezi Bay is the only waterpark connected to a zoological park, and proceeds from the waterpark help support the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s operations and mission of Empowering People. Saving Wildlife. For additional updates about Zoombezi Bay’s attractions, events and more, visit the waterpark’s website, and follow Zoombezi Bay on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
###
About Zoombezi Bay, A Waterpark with a Purpose
Zoombezi Bay is a 22.7-acre water park featuring 20 state-of-the-art water attractions, including the aquatic adventure area Otter Banks; themed water slide SoundSurfer; the multi-level play structure Baboon Lagoon; the Pelican Point interactive water playground for the youngest guests; a wave pool; an action river; a lazy river; and more. New for 2025, guests can now experience Conservation Tower—the world’s first-of-its-kind water slide structure featuring three unique attractions: two global firsts and one never-before-seen in the Midwest. During the regular summer season, admission to Zoombezi Bay includes same-day access to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and proceeds from the waterpark support the Zoo’s operation and mission. Please visit ZoombeziBay.com for more information.
