Swimming is a fun and exited activity for both children and parents alike. Watching them progress and become more confident in the water will give you real sence of pride.
Swimming lessons can be a great start for your children’s learn to swim journey but if it doesn’t have to stop with the lessons.
You can encourage your child in the bath, at the local pools or at the beach. If your child is afraid of the water, start by dribbling a few drops of water over their heads and build up to pouring over a cup full. With this activity it’s good to use cues that signal to your child that you will be pouring water over their heads now, sucjh as “Ready, go “and their name”” and soon you will start to see them close their eyes and hold their breath.
There are lots of fun activities that you can do at home to help build up your child’s confidence around water.
Some useful tips:
- Enjoy the water activities together as a family. It’s no secret that children learn by example.
- When having a bathtime, get them wet and let the water go over their heads and get into their ears.
- Pouring a cup of water over your beginners head to teach them how to hold their breath.
- Get them to blow bubbles in the water while having a bath.
- Get them to blow bubbles in a glass of milk so they can see the big bubbles as they are forming.
- Teach kicking by practising on the bed or the floor.
- Have them stand and show you how they can do big arms circle.
- Hold on to the table and do big arms circles, and then practice their turn and breathe.
Remember to take it slowly. There is no need to rush your child to get in the water.