HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO SWIM

Most
parents enroll their kids into some kind of extracurricular activities from a
young age to engage themselves in some learning. 

While
your child can choose an activity as per his own choice, you should give some
importance to his fitness and put him into some sports or fitness-related
activity. 

Talking
of fitness, nothing can be better than making your child join a swimming class.
Swimming is an activity that has great fitness values making your child
well-built, strong, energetic, and builds endurance in him. 

While
many of you are considering admitting your child to swimming training, it is
advisable to give them some pre swimming lessons at home. 

Till
their formative years are over, domestic training will not just help them
overcome hydrophobia; it will build confidence and strength in
him.  Most formal swimming institutes have certain age restrictions
for enrolment, which may be up to the age of 7-8. 

Moreover,
as parents, you can facilitate them with the same training as a swimming coach
would do to their beginner students. 

But
is it coming across your mind as to how to begin teaching your kids swimming? 

It
is no rocket science, but simple guidelines should be followed to help your
child be acquainted with water. Your child being oblivious to the idea of
swimming pool and water bodies; it may be a hard task for you to get him into
the water initially. 

But,
please be patient and give him the time without being harsh on him. Keep your
munchkin secure and safe in different types of water-based activities such as
swimming and boating with a good quality life jacket.

1. Your child should love to be in the water.

The
first objective should be to help your child love to be in the water and not be
afraid of it. Most children, if not all, will have some fear and inhibitions of
being in the water. 

He
needs to be comfortable in the water, only then you can proceed with the
further steps. Take him to small pools and involve him in some fun water
activities. 

Do
not take him to a giant pool as that will imbibe a fear of water in him from
the very beginning. Let him play some ball games or catching the fish games. 

The
idea is to help him overcome his fear of water and be playful in the pool.

2. Teach them breathing underwater

Breathing
underwater can be a tricky task for your child. Take your child to a pool and
ask him to hold his breath for as long as they can. 

Ask
him to blow bubbles in the water, which will train him not to swallow any water
while inside. Introduce him to swimming goggles and tell him how it is going to
protect his eyes. 

Do
this activity with him so that he can feel more comfortable. You can hold his
hands initially to let him know that he is absolutely safe. 

Make
sure that he/she is safe and is not suffocating by overdoing
this breathing exercise. Holding oneself underwater for too long can make him
pass out too.

 3. Help him float

Once
your child is comfortable in the pool, you may choose a larger pool for him but
not a giant pool, which will be unsafe for his age. Safety is the key to any
swimming activity. So, now you require a pool for his age and a floatation
device. 

You
will have to make your child understand the importance of floating in the water
as the first stage of swimming. Tell him that if he knows to float, he may save
himself from drowning in an accident. 

He
can start floating by holding the side of the gutter of the pool and kicking.
Introduce him to a floating tube or a floating jacket or a floating vest and
start training him to float in the water. 

Help
him use his limbs in floating, while he enjoys and relaxes in the pool.

4. Paddle with them

After
getting the grip of floating, teach him how to paddle using his hands and
pulling through the water. Considering his age, doggie paddle may be the most
suitable way of paddling for a kid. 

Let
him do a short race while kicking and paddling with his hands and legs. This
may take a number of days for him to learn it. 

To
ensure his safety, let him be wearing a paddle jumper while paddling.

5. Give them safety tips

As
your child learns swimming, give him an idea about the safety measures which
should always be taken while swimming. 

Safety
tips for a child include swimming with someone, having an adult around you, and
obeying pool rules. 

They
should know that pushing each other in water or running by the wet poolside may
end up hurting themselves or others. He should choose a depth in which he is
comfortable in swimming.

6. Maintain regularity

Regularity
should be maintained in order for your child to remain in practice. This will
also help him get better with each passing day. 

While
teaching your kid to swim, make it more of a fun activity rather than some
training in the camp. 

He
should be relaxed and enjoying every bit of it, and should not be forced. Use
toys, floaters, and other swimming kits and make it joyful for them. 

Organize
some short races or challenges for him and his friends. This way, learning will
be much easy for him. But, always remind him of the safety measures and how
they are important for his life. 

Educating
him about safety will bring in more awareness. Your child will thank you later
for giving him such a loving experience.