Before your child even has swimming lessons or knows how to swim, there are some key steps to help kids build their confidence in the water. Swimming coach Ronnie from SAFRA’s FINS Swim School shares 5 steps to encourage beginner swimmers to feel confident in the pool. You can try these moves with your child at the pool too!
Warm up by introducing your child to the water
The coach recommends you familiarise your child with the pool by letting them sit at the edge, splash with their hands, and learn to put on goggles and swim caps. This is to get them used to what being in the water feels like and learn the steps to take before each swimming lesson.
Try out basic kicking techniques
Get your child to try out basic swimming moves such as flutter kicks and floating with a kickboard.
- Get your child to sit up by the wall and make big splashes with their flutter kicks.
- Once they are comfortable, get your child to lie prone (on their stomach) by the edge of the pool and do flutter kicks with big splashes.
- Finally, introduce the kickboard with the parent’s assistance and guide them from one end of the pool to the other.
Build water confidence with games
Make a game out of retrieving floating toys in the pool as a fun way to build their confidence.
Float and relax
Teach your child to float on their back and relax. This is a very important lesson for water safety.
Once they have gained more confidence from the above steps, try to get your child to relax and float with your assistance, pushing their upper back to float. Tell them to relax their legs.
Splash in and have fun!
When you think they are confident enough, encourage your child to jump in with a big splash! It’ll be a bigger boost to their confidence and plenty of fun too.
Find out more about preparing your child for swimming lessons.
Let your kids aged 5 to 12 years learn to swim in a fun and safe environment! FINS Swim School is located at SAFRA Toa Payoh, SAFRA Mount Faber, SAFRA Yishun and SAFRA Jurong, and is exclusive to SAFRA Members. Sign up now for the term starting in July. For more information, visit www.safra.sg/FINS
Disclaimer: You are strongly advised to consult a professional for safety reasons. All activities mentioned should be done under adult supervision and at your own risk.
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