Watching your toddler learn some new skills can be a magical experience, and none is as rewarding as teaching them how to swim. The goal is to help them learn to swim early and avoid a fear of water. This is important not just for your kids’ safety, but also for their enjoyment.
This is one of the main reasons why swimming lessons have become more and more popular. But what if you can’t afford regular swimming lessons or just want to avoid this route? These 5 tips will help you make your home training a success:
- Make Water Activities Fun
The first step when teaching your toddler to swim is to help them love being in the water. This might be a bit harder if they already have a fear of the water, but you can still get the job done. Start off by letting your toddler have a lot of play time during their baths, This way, they can learn to relax and get more comfortable in their little “pool”.
- Get the Right Floats
There are very many floatation products currently available on the market. So, how do you pick the right one? The best swim floaties for toddlers are those that help your little one learn to relax and enjoy the water. They are designed to ensure your toddler learns early on how to be truly buoyant while swimming.
Also, look for floaties that will roll your toddler over. This safety feature ensures that your child will not be vulnerable to the face down dangers that plague so many floatation devices on the market.
When using floats, your first step will be to teach your toddler how to use them to keep their balance while in the water. As long as you give your child enough space to learn, this step will not take them too long to ace.
- Teach Them How to Hold Their Breath
When you get into the focused lessons, it is a good idea to start by teaching your toddler how to hold their breath. A fun way to do this is by blowing bubbles on the water surface. This will help your child get used to having at least part of their face in the water.
You could also simply blow in your child’s face. This easy approach takes advantage of their natural response in such a case – which is to hold their breath. It is also a great way to teach your toddler how to hold their breath without physically holding their nose, which is not recommended for younger kids.
- Set Aside Lesson Time for Swimming
Once your child has mastered the key basics, you have to focus on actually teaching them how to swim. To do this, set aside a dedicated time for the swimming lessons. Because children are natural imitators, it is also important to ensure that you are always present at these times. More importantly, make sure that your lessons are short and fun!
- Start with Baby Steps
To start your lessons, the only thing you really need is an appropriate pool. This means that it should fill up to your toddler’s upper chest or chin level, but not over their head.
In the beginning, your goal should be to help your toddler learn better swimming techniques. This means your focus will be on teaching them how to move their arms and kick their feet in the water.
You should also help your child out as much as possible. For example, start off by having them hold on to the wall as they swim to you. By doing this, you will give them the skills and confidence they need to be great swimmers in no time.
Speak Your Mind