Your infant is just turning into a toddler and you want to strengthen them both mentally and physically? Swimming is the best option to achieve this goal. It is a super productive life skill with tremendous health benefits particularly if taught in early years of life. Well, before starting this practice, it’s important to know how to teach your toddler to swim safely and effectively.
A research by the National Library of Medicine shows that there is an 88% reduction in drowning in children who got swimming lessons. And, the benefits don’t end here.
In this article we are gonna discuss when, why and how to teach your toddlers to swim, and certain tips to make it safe and intriguing. Stay tuned.
When to start teaching toddlers to swim?
According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, swimming lessons should begin around 1 year but neonates can also be introduced to pools ensuring complete safety. The best age to learn swimming is 1 to 4 years.
This is the peak learning age as the cognitive development of children is taking place and they like to try new things. Besides age, some other aspects must also be considered teaching swimming to your toddler;
- Emotional maturity of kids
- Their comfort level
- Whether they have enough muscle strength and tone as the development pace may vary in different children
How do I teach my toddler to swim?
While teaching your kids swimming lessons, patience is the key. So, it is very important to keep your pace slow. Adding fun activities like using toys, making underwater sounds or singing rhymes is also recommended to make it interesting for them.
You can also enroll them in formal swimming classes for advanced skills but most parents like to do it on their own. Here is the step by step process;
Step 1: Teach basic water safety measures
You can’t let your child in water without watching. Here are fundamental water safety tips for kids that you must teach them;
- Always swim in the presence of a guardian
- Avoid running along pool side
- Wear a life jacket in deep water
- Ask permission before entry into pool
- Stay away from pool filters and drains
Step 2: Safely introduce your toddler to pool
To introduce them into water, opt for a shallow water area at first like kiddie pools or shallow end of larger pools. Encourage them to play and splash in water to build their confidence. While teaching your toddler how to swim, ensure that your kid feels safe and relaxed. If they get scared from water, take them out and try later.
Step 3: Teach them to blow bubbles
Breath control is the fundamental skill while learning swimming. One way to attain it is blowing bubbles. This will help your child to learn how to exhale in water. You must do it in front of them and then ask them to repeat. To enhance their engagement, you can make weird sounds under water.
Step 4: Back floating
The first step to practical swimming is teaching your toddler to swim on back. This is usually easy in late infancy or early toddling. Kids usually feel more attached with mothers than fathers so they can teach them better while maintaining the intimacy.
- Relax your toddler on your shoulder in seated position
- Encourage them to breathe deeply
- When they feel confident, lower your shoulder to get them in a flat position
- Slowly release your support on their back.
- Place your hands under their hips to make them feel secure.
- To distract their attention from water, use toys or sing a rhyme.
Step 5: Teach them kicking
Controlled kicking are a very important part of swimming lessons for toddlers. They help your child learn how to achieve straight legs, pointed toes and floppy ankles. Proceed in the following steps;
- Hold on to the pool side facing the wall and encourage them to kick legs.
- Once they feel comfortable and confident, take them away from the walls.
- Hold your child in a sitting position with their backs resting against your tummy and encourage them to kick their legs forward on water.
Step 6: Arm movements
When you think your child becomes fully comfortable with water, teach them arm movements. Water propulsion using arm movements makes up 90% of the driving force that pushes you forward and thus creates speed. So, it is very important to have a strong command on arm strokes.
For this purpose, first take them on the pool side with their face in water. Encourage them to move forward with one arm pulling water towards them and moving forward the other arm.
Step 7: Turn-arounds
When your toddler achieves good breath control, teach them to turn around in water. Hold their chests under their arms while they are facing away from you. Ask them to turn around. See which side they turn naturally. After gaining enough confidence, they will use their legs to turn around.
Why is swimming important for toddlers’ development?
From developing muscle strength to decreased incidence of accidental drowning, the importance of swimming for toddlers can’t be argued. Early aquatics play a great role in your kids’ life. Here are some reasons why you need a decent guide on how to teach your toddler to swim;
- Water safety skills: Children learn how to float, trade or breathe in water. In cases of accidental falls in the pools or other water resources, they know how to tackle the situation.
- Development and cognitive benefits: Recent researches are evident that aquatics could influence early motor development in infants and toddlers. Swimming makes your child mentally strong and confident. Besides swimming, there are also other ways to raise strong kids you must know.
- Improves sleep quality: Swimming helps a lot with onset and quality of sleep particularly in infants.
- Cardiovascular health: It is evident that swimming has a positive effect on heart strength and circulation.
- Coordinated movements: Teaching your toddlers how to swim enables them to attain better balance, coordination and social skills. It also makes them open to challenges and adventures.
Beneficial Tips for teaching swimming to your toddler
Like any other new thing, children may find difficulty in learning swimming. Being a parent, it may be a bit laborious for you just like other parenting challenges. So, a lot of duty comes on your part to make it a memorable experience for them. Here are some tips you must follow;
- Try to add fun activities as much as you can. These may include using toys, singing some relatable rhymes, etc
- Take the process slowly. Remember, different kids learn at different pace. Your hastening behavior may get them scared making it a difficult task for you in the long run
- Always stay close to your child and assist them in every possible way.
- Deliver plenty of encouragement and applause towards your child. This will make them learn the process faster.