06/07/2026
HELP YOUR KIDS PREPARE TO SWIM …
(Important tips listed in post. Videos to view in comment section.)
May this post serve as an educational piece, to help guide parents & children towards swim success.
I often get asked, “how young do you teach swim lessons?”
My answer is “6 months for parent/baby guided group lessons, and 2 yrs old for private 1-on-1 lessons”.
I also add in, “but there’s much that parents can do at home to help prepare their baby/child before outside lessons even get started”.
Start them young!
After 30+ years of teaching babies, toddlers, kids, and even adults, I am still in awe of how much can be learned with the proper guidance & instruction.
Even the littles can learn at a much earlier age than most might think. So often, kids aren’t given enough credit for what they can actually learn & do. And more often than not, parents just don’t know what to do to guide them properly towards very achievable goals. Perhaps parents have their own fears, which unintentionally transfers to their children.
Kids are like sponges - they soak it all in. They follow examples and demonstrations, and will mimic what they see. They feed off adult energy, so be aware of your approach to things like water and swimming.
Read on for more great info…
As a parent of small ones once myself (long ago), I understand we do what we think is best for our children. When it comes to water, many may shield their child’s face (eyes & ears), or put them in floaties and/or puddle jumpers for safety.
Unfortunately, these things will hinder the child’s potential & proper progress when learning important survival skills and when learning to swim.
When children’s faces are shielded from water, they may learn to be fearful of water ever being on their face at all. They many times avoid it all together.
When only given artificial buoyancy such as floaties and puddle jumpers, children learn a false sense of security and become accustomed to bad habits such as :
-vertical position instead of the proper horizontal position needed to move towards safety
-improper foot movement under the water (bicycle peddling or running) instead of splashing up/down kicks on top of the surface to move forward
These bad habits become hard to break, and make learning to swim and save their lives (if need be) much more difficult.
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WHERE TO START…
(In child’s first year of life)
Here are 3 things that will set the parent, the child, and their future instructors up for success :
1 . Child can RELAX in the tub, on their back, with water in their ears
-Get in the tub with them when young, resting them on your thighs, feet in same direction as your feet, having them look up at your smiling face.
2 . Child can get water on their face with NO negative reaction
-A great place to start is in the shower with mom or dad. Allows for skin on skin contact for bonding as well.
-Another great way to accomplish this task is to pour small amounts of water over child’s head, all while parent smiles, laughs, and sings.
3 . Child can grasp & hold on to the wall of a pool.
-With parent assistance/support, help your baby open their hands to grasp & hold on to the pool ledge. Place your hands on top of their hands firmly to encourage a strong grip/hold onto the wall.
*Your child’s swim journey will be off to a great start if you can accomplish these three things by the time your child is 1 year old.
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PROGRESSION…
(In child’s second year of life)
By the age of 2, here are more things to encourage and implement that will further help your child in becoming a confident and comfortable swimmer :
• Plays in Splash Pads
• Dominates baby pools
• Front glide to safety
• Splashing Kicks on surface of water (up/down motion with feet)
• Back floating (with assistance or support)
• Putting face in water to look for and grab toys
• Blowing bubbles
*When these things are evident by 2 years of age, you’re helping set your child up to have a healthy respect for the dangers of water, and their comfort in their own abilities greatly increases.
I believe any parent can accomplish these AGE APPROPRIATE experiences with their child!
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BONUS Pro-Tip:
Never use Artificial Buoyancy (arm floaties or puddle-jumpers) to avoid developing a false confidence and false sense of security.
Yes, that may mean more work and involvement for parents upfront, but in the long run it’ll pay off when considering safety and future ease in swimming.
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If you have an infant, a fearful toddler, or a child that has spent too much time in a puddle jumper or arm floaties, I strongly encourage you to please consider introducing and implementing the skills listed above, so both you and your child can have the confidence and foundational techniques set up for success.
You can do it!
I believe in you!!
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I post these tips and information as an encouragement to all parents.
I understand & know it can be hard for parents to try these things on their own, so please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
If you would like or need guidance/assistance in implementing these tips for success, we offer
- parent/baby group classes (6mo - 23mo)
- private 1-on-1 lessons (2 yr+)
- scheduled home visits for babies under 6 mo old
~ Blessings to you all 💕
www.iamyogaandfitness.com
