Learning to swim isn't about having Olympic gold medal aspirations. Kids need to learn to swim as part of basic water safety training. According to KidsHealth.org, young children can drown in less than 2 inches of water. Freestyle swimming requires the child to put his face into the water, breathing out as he paddles over his head. Some kids might be fearful about putting their faces in the water and require several phases of learning the stroke to get comfortable not being able to take a breath.
Step 1
Stand in the shallow end of the pool. Ensure that the child is comfortable in the water. Have the child take a breath, stick his head under water and blow bubbles out through his mouth.
Step 2
Support the child with your hands under his belly. Allow him to keep his head above the water while he kicks with his legs.
Step 3
Tell the child to take a breath and stick his face in the water, blowing bubbles as you support him on the water surface. Move him around, letting him kick and blow bubbles along the surface of the water.
Step 4
Show him how to put his arms out in front of him, forming a torpedo as you support him.
Step 5
Place the child at the pool wall, having him hold on to the side. Move 3 feet away from the pool wall, facing him. Tell him to take a breath and push away from the wall with his legs forming a torpedo with his head in the water blowing bubbles. Catch him, supporting him in your arms.
Step 6
Make rotations with your arms, demonstrating how to move from the torpedo to paddling with arms. Support him under his belly again as you move him around the pool. Have him kick and paddle taking a breath by his left shoulder and putting his head in the water and paddling.
Step 7
Position him back at the pool wall and stand a few feet away once again facing him. Have him push off toward you, kicking and paddling as he takes a breath.
Step 8
Stand farther and farther back, letting him swim farther as his confidence grows.
Member Comments