Water Adaption & Safety

Hello!

As apart of our E-Learning Experience, we will provide you with important information on water safety and learn-to-swim skills, as well as swimming technique, breaking down the mechanics and explaining why these skills are most efficient. Additionally, test your knowledge with a short quiz at the end of each worksheet. These online exercises will help us think about the approach to each skill and the proper technique of all four competitive strokes, as well as racing starts, turns and finishes. Below is some helpful information on the most important points. We should always be thinking about and practicing these fundamentals until they become good habits!

This worksheet’s focus is Water Adaptation & Safety! Here we review highlighted skills from our Starfish & Seahorse Level Classes. The great part is that all of the skills can even be practiced at home without a pool. Working on these skills with your child is beneficial and great preparation in case of an emergency. Below are some tips when working with your child at home on dryland, in the pool or bathtub.

GENTLE: Always ensure your tone and actions are gentle

FUN: Your little one is entering a new world – so keeping this teaching experience playful and happy is important. Let them explore

PATIENT: Water adaptation and safety can be a scary notion for parents and children – keep calm and patient with any small step forward

We are excited for our families to meet our friends, whom they will see in our swim classes. Visit the Learn with Our Friends Page to find out more on skills that our sea pals will be teaching in classes.  

SKILL PROGRESSIONS TO TRY AT HOME:

BLOWFISH FACE: Tell story about Bob the Blowfish and show how lips are sealed and cheeks blow up while holding breath with a count of 1,2,3.

KICKING: This skill is an important fundamental of swimming. Practice sitting with splash time and straight leg kicks with pointed toes. Fun when parents kick too!

STARFISH FLOATS: This important safety skill must be done with patience and proper progression. Tell the story of Sally the Starfish and how we look when relaxed in our “Starfish Float”. Progressions are dependent on each child - parent and child sing “Twinkle, Twinkle” together. With each step focus on chin and belly up. Proper progressions of this skill:

1. Head on shoulder of parent, ears out of water, cheek-to-cheek, eyes looking up

2. Progress to head on shoulder of parent, ears in water and more body balance from child

3. Last step – parent holds back of child’s head, ears in water, arms and legs stretched out

MONKEY HOLDS: This safety skill teaches a child to reach for the wall, hold and grip. Toys can be used for a goal focus when reaching for wall. Hold child with chin above water all the way to wall. Progress to full submersion glide, reaching for wall with both hands.

ROLY POLY: Work on rolling over on dry land first, then in water. Always assist by turning shoulders to rotate over, following with arm up over and behind back to roll onto back.