Get your Kids in the Water

When I first told my dad that I was going to start a blog to help parents teach their kids to swim, he jokingly said “Step one, put your kids in the water”. And while this was said jokingly, since you’d think it should be common sense, it’s really great advice in more ways than one.

Bath Time, the First Lesson

How many momfluencers do you see trying to sell you an “amazing bath product to make bath time easier for you and baby” and they are products designed to keep water out of baby’s face? This is terrible for future swimming endeavors, creating discomfort and even fear around water for the baby (and maybe you too). Babies spend their first 9 months in water, so getting their face wet is way scarier for you than it is for them.

I promise that once you get over the initial fear, your baby will be fine with water on their face and in their eyes. And this water comfort is going to start building the foundation for a life-long love of swimming and water. So let’s “de-influence” those baby bath visors, get some tear-free shampoo, and get your babies in the water.

Learning to Float, the First Pool Visit

After spending way too much time around pools, I’ve seen plenty of parents try to teach their kids to swim by focusing so much on the mechanics, that they miss out on even getting them all the way into the water. I’ve watched numerous parents try to teach a child to swim by holding them under the stomach and legs, barely in the water, and telling them how to move. Babies don’t learn to walk by being held a few inches above the ground and having their legs moved for them, so why would kids learn to swim this way? Getting all the way into the water goes way before learning to kick.

Practice Time

I’d say that one of the most common parent questions about swim lessons is “Why isn’t my kid learning more, why are they not moving to the next level?” Well how often are they in the water? Spending time in the water, even just playing, is a huge factor in how fast kids learn to swim. If you want your child to learn to swim, carve out some time to play in the pool, and bonus points if you do it as a family.

Getting kids into the water is step one of learning to swim, in bath time, play time, and lesson time.