We're just trying to teach water safety to kids and teach them how to be safe in and around the water. – Robert Bridge, Fairmont Aquatic Center program coordinator

SALT LAKE CITY — Novice swimmers were paddling and kicking, others were practicing blowing bubbles and floating. But it wasn't just a normal day at the Fairmont Aquatic Center. The kids were attempting to break the largest swimming lesson world record Tuesday.

The lesson, designed to promote water safety by teaching kids to swim, happened simultaneously across the world as swim teachers and their students hit the water at 9 a.m., coinciding with the 11 a.m. Eastern Time Zone start time. Nine pools in Utah were part of the effort to break the world record of nearly 25,000 swimmers set in 2012.

"We're just trying to teach water safety to kids and teach them how to be safe in and around the water," said Robert Bridge, Fairmont Aquatic Center program coordinator.

Bridge said there were about 25 participants this year at the aquatic center learning swimming basics. They were among the hoped-for 35,000 swimmers at 700 locations taking part in The World's Largest Swimming Lesson, said Kristin Scheithauer, media relations consultant. The attempt is the organization's fourth in a row and Scheithauer said the organization has broken its own record each year.

The 2010 record included 3,971 participants representing 34 states and five countries. In 2011 the effort grew to 19,322 participants, and last year the number pushed 25,000.

Cara Harker enrolled three of her four children in swimming lessons at the aquatic center and saw a flier for the record-breaking attempt. Harker said she decided to take part because she thought it was cool that people all over the world would be participating at the same time.

She said the main reason she put her kids in swim lessons was for safety.

"I want them to know how to act in the water," she said.

Her 6-year-old son Quinn said the swimming lesson was fun and learning how to swim freestyle was his favorite part.

Harker's other son Aden, 6, also said his favorite part was swimming freestyle.

Michael Waters is a swim coach at the aquatic center and said there was more energy in the pool than usual during the world record attempt.

"(There were) just so many more classes going on today," he said. "With kids, they already have really high energy levels, so it's really hard to keep up with them."

Waters said the most important thing when teaching kids to swim is teaching them proper water safety.

"We teach them to always ask parents before they go in the water," Waters said. "Too many kids have lost their lives because the parents aren't around."

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintended, injury-related death for children ages 1-14, making swimming lessons a lifesaving skill, according to the event's website, which represents a coalition of water safety and training professionals, including the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, International Swimming Hall of Fame, and the International Swim Instructors Association.

The Salt Lake City Fire Department reported that in Salt Lake City alone there were six drowning incidents in 2011 and seven in 2012. Total pool-related incidents, drowning or otherwise, were 12 each year.

Email: eeagar@deseretnews.com