There are plenty of activities parents can do outside of swimming lessons to help their child learn to swim. This article will discuss some options for swimming outside of regular lessons to help develop good little swimmers.
Open Water Swimming
Open water swimming in rivers, estuaries, lakes or the beach will be easily accessible to most families. BEWARE OF SAFETY CONCERNS WHEN SWIMMING IN OPEN WATER AREAS. Supervision within arms reach, looking for rips or currents, checking the water is safe for submerged debris, and reading signage are just a few considerations you will have to make.
Practice at Home
You may be lucky and have a home pool to practice in. However if you don’t there are other ways to practice. Utilise all types of water around the house– sink (for very small infants), shower, bathtub and hose. You can even fill up little paddling pools to enjoy. BUT BEWARE THAT THESE CAN BE DROWNING HAZARDS. EMPTY WATER IMMEDIATELY AFTER USE.
Remember
- Work on conditioning and extending breath control for more advanced swimmers.
- Breath control and breathing are important aspects of the Learn to Swim Process and can be practiced outside of the pool under the hose or within the bathtub at home.
- Kicking and back floating can be practiced in very shallow water. Bathtubs, blow-up pools or buckets filled with water are a great tool for swimming lessons at home or on holidays.
- Drills for swimmers of all ages can easily be practiced on land.
- Physical manipulation can occur anywhere – kicking and paddling manipulation out of the water will help when swimmers have access to a pool.
As always remember supervision whenever children are playing in and around water.
Laurie Lawrence