How To Teach Kids To Swim

You can open up children's worlds when you learn how to teach kids to swim. Learning how to swim is a right of passage for many children, as it allows them to hop in the pool or play in the ocean without fear. Teach kids to swim by being patient and demonstrating the needed skills to them. Remember that some kids may be easy to teach to swim while others may need extra time and extra help.

1. Begin to teach kids to swim by acquainting them with the water. Some children are very afraid of getting their face wet. Have them stand in shallow water and dip the chin and mouth into the water. Tell them to blow bubbles. Many kids love to do this.
2. Have them get their entire face wet next. Hold their shoulders if need be to comfort them. Tell them to tilt their chin, mouth, nose and forehead into the water while standing in shallow water.
3. Teach kids to float. The next step in teaching kids to swim is showing them that they float. Have them lean back into the water and relax. Stand right by them so that they are not frightened. They'll learn that they won't sink. Tell them to roll over to their stomachs next.
4. Teach them to kick after they've learned to float. You can give them kickboards to help them learn to swim without using their arms just yet. Show them how to move the legs up and down, without making too big of a splash and without lifting the feet very high out of the water.
5. Show them the arm movements. Have them stand on dry land to initially teach the arm movements. Show them how to hold their hands and how to lift the arms over the head, then scoop under the body to propel themselves forward.
6. Get back in the pool and have the kids put the arms and leg movements together, then show them how to breathe. Have them swim the length, lifting their heads out of the water whenever they need air.