The ISR Method:
Science-Based Survival
Founded in 1966 by behavioral psychologist Dr. Harvey Barnett, Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is the product of 60 years of research and clinical experience.
WHAT SETS ISR APART?
Safety is our first and only priority. ISR is the only organization that requires a comprehensive medical and developmental history review for every student. Before your child ever enters the water, our team of medical professionals evaluates their unique profile to ensure the safest possible learning environment.
Our approach is rooted in sensorimotor learning. We teach the way a child naturally learns—through physical experience and repetition—similar to how they mastered sitting, crawling, and walking.
PROVEN CAPABILITY
We believe the child is the most vital component of any drowning prevention strategy. With over 450,000 graduates and hundreds of documented lives saved, the evidence is clear: children are capable of saving themselves.
While barriers like pool fences are essential, they are not infallible. We take a child’s natural curiosity and transform it into a life-saving skill set, giving them the ability to respond if they ever find themselves in the water alone.
Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4. In a world where accidents happen in seconds, self-rescue skills provide a lifetime of protection.
peer-reviewed success
The effectiveness of our method isn’t just anecdotally proven; it is scientifically validated. A study published in Injury Prevention by Dr. David Schwebel (University of Alabama at Birmingham) titled “Toddler drowning prevention through self-rescue: can 1-year-old children learn to float?” confirmed that toddlers can learn meaningful self-rescue skills. The specific curriculum used for that landmark study? ISR.
Elite instructor standards
Becoming an ISR Instructor is a rigorous process. Our instructors are highly trained in behavioral psychology, child developmental theory, and physiology. Each professional completes weeks of intensive in-water and academic training, followed by a mandatory annual recertification to ensure they are utilizing the most current, safest teaching practices in the world.
Curious about the daily routine?
Understanding the science is just the first step. Explore our Program Details to see how we translate these proven methods into 10-minute daily lessons, review the specific milestones your child will achieve, and find all the information on the financial investment for their survival journey.