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Swimming Top Tips for Parents and Toddlers - 12 months to 2½ years

Now that your baby has become a bit older you maybe unsure if you’re still encouraging your baby in the right way. Don’t worry; please keep reading for loads of swimming tips to help your growing baby.

 

Lets begin……….

Toddler swimming

 

 

Carry on the good work (described in our swimming for babies section), continue to be your babies teacher. Support your child in the water, but now TRY encouraging them to get their face wet.

Try this…….

If there are two of you with your child, try standing close together and gentle pushing your child between yourselves (head out the water, chin in). This is the first steps to GLIDING in the water which is a very important part of swimming, and still loads of fun for your baby.

Toddler swimming

 If your child is happy on their back (some at this stage may not be), let them float on their back with their head on your shoulder. They may even want to kick there legs, this is great stuff, encourage it.
TIP Try using armbands and slowly removing your support, but stay close for safety.

 

Toddlers swimming

 

The most important thing to remember is, you know your Child best, and at this stage you are the best teacher they could possible have. BE encouraging & BE fun.

 

There is no right or wrong, there are not set rules, the best thing you can do is to allow your child to grow in confidence in the water, and you never know you may have a future Olympic swimmer in your mitts.

 

Ideas For Fun Games

 

DANCING TIME – Your child will hold on with one arm around your back and the other out in front in a dancing position. Now you are ready to dance around the pool. Its great fun I promise.

 

WASHING HAIR – Support your child on their back and drift from side to side dipping their hair in the water. Great for confidence building.

 

WATER WAVE – Gentle pull your child backwards and forwards against the water, producing waves as your do this. Try changing the speed to keep your child amused.

 

SEE-SAW – Support your child under there arms, then move up and down, in and out of the water. Your child will love this one.

 

BUBBLE CONCERT – Blow a tune or two in the water and your child will copy. You may feel a tad daft, but this is a great beginning of breath control in the water.

 

DRIVING – Hold onto your child and run backwards moving left to right in a zig zag pattern. You can even make the sound effects if you wish.

 

AIRPLANE – Support your child, one hand under the legs and one under the chest. Lift your child out of the water and move around as if they where a plane. Now the best bit - Land them gentle on the water with a splash. They will love it.

 

These are just ideas, I know you will come up with better ideas for your child, as you observe what they enjoy doing. Just go and have some fun.

 

Ok Then.....

  • Your child has confidence in the water.
  • Your child loves going swimming.
  • Your child can place their face in the water.

 

This is great, so what is next?

 

As your child grows you can start to introduce techniques which will allow your child to start to swim on their own, these skills are

 

  • Standing up from their front or back
  • Gliding through the water

 

PLEASE see our section on PARENTS AND YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN 2½ + for tips on these and much more.

 

I hope this page has been of use to you, please contact us if you would like to add further tips for our readers. Thanks

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