How to Teach a Child to Swim

You can teach your child to swim at any time. Babies as young as six months old have successfully been taught to swim, although some experts recommend that children not be taught until age 3 or 4 or even older. Whichever route you choose to go, teaching a baby or an older child, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your child enjoys her introduction to the water.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Swimming pool
• <br>Swimsuit
• <br>Goggles if the water has a lot of chorine

1. Ease your chld into the water easily. Start out on the steps of the shallowest part of the baby pool, and do not force him into the deeper water or out into the larger pool until he is ready. The first sight of a swimming pool can be very intimidating to a child.

2. Get into the water with her. Hold her as you move slowly around the pool together, exploring the ways to get in and out (ladders, steps, etc) and the other different parts of the pool.

3. Let him lie on top of you as you swim a bit. This will help him to feel more confident in moving through the water.

4. Encourage her to dip her head under the water. Again, do not push, as this is a scary milestone, and there are many adult swimmers who still prefer not to submerge their heads whenever possible. Show her it's not too scary by ducking your own head under and make a game of it by bobbing up and down.

5. Show him how to inhale before ducking under, then to exhale under water. Have him try the underwater exhale by just putting his mouth below the water at first (not his nose or eyes), then blowing bubbles.

6. Try to get her to float on her back. If this is difficult for her, practice in a bathtub filled with shallow water or in the kiddie pool or on the steps--anywhere there is really shallow water and she can just practice lying flat on her back in the water. As she learns to feel confident with this sensation, you can try floating in gradually deepening water.

7. Improve his balance by having him walk through water that is as high as his chest. If he falls over, let him learn to regain his footing, unless he's really in trouble, at which point you need to go in and help him out right away before he becomes frightened or upset.

8. Get her to kick her legs in the water and show her how to make little flutter kicks to churn up bubbles. Then add arm movements to push back the water. Do not expect or try to achieve anything that looks like proper swimming form at this point. All you are trying to do is to show her how she can stay afloat and propel her body through the water. This is swimming and all else is technique that can be learned later if she is interested.

Tips & Warnings

• It's important for anyone instructing a child to swim to be CPR-trained. You can take a class offered by your local Red Cross or even brush up your skills with a video or online.
• <br>It is easiest for children to learn to swim in warm water that is 86° to 94° degrees, as warmer temperatures can be dangerous but cooler ones may make a child too cold to relax and focus on learning to swim.
• Never allow your child around water unsupervised, no matter how strong his swimming skills. It is easy for a child (or adult) to panic in case of accident or emergency and forget all of those skills.