The first obstacle for many children learning to swim is that they don’t want to put their face in the water yet.  In the past, we used to tell our instructors to have the beginner practice Dog Paddle.  At the time, we felt like this was the best alternative to the front crawl so it became the first step of the freestyle swimming progression.  Seems logical, right?  We now believe otherwise. In fact, we are very confident that Dog Paddle is NOT a logical skill to teach young learners, and here’s why:

There are essentially FOUR REASONS we have removed it from the Swim Lessons University Swim 102/103 curriculum:

#1 It’s a very unnatural way to swim. Have you tried to dog paddle lately?  I personally find that it’s not a very easy skill to do for any distance, let alone for a period of time. Maybe I’m just getting old, but it puts a lot of stress on my neck and dog paddle is certainly an uncomfortable way to swim.

#2 You’re teaching children to swim nervously. From both a physical and psychological standpoint, you are indirectly teaching the child to frantically paddle the arms because if he or she doesn’t—the swimmer takes in water.  Therefore, you have a child swimming nervously because he is desperate to keep the mouth and nose out of the water.

#3 You’re teaching bad habits. Dog paddle reinforces the opposite of what we are trying to achieve in the freestyle arm pull.  We want nice, long underwater pulls–yet when we let kids to dog paddle, we are allowing them to pull the water in a quick and choppy fashion instead.

#4 You’re sacrificing valuable practice time. As Publilius Syrus once said: “Practice is the best of all instructors.”  However, from a learning standpoint, we sacrifice practicing the one skill that the child needs to learn in order to make real progress with the freestyle.  So at Swim Lessons University, we now use this allocated time to practice that skill: First-time facial immersion and beginning breath holding.

So those are the big four.  Now the question becomes, “how does the beginner practice first-time submersion and beginning breath holding?”  When it’s time to practice the Freestyle/Front Crawl, we have those beginners who aren’t putting the face in the water work on the in-line kick drill.  This way, the beginner can simultaneously practice the kick and practice putting the face in the water. We already isolated the basic breath holding skill earlier in the class, so combining the kick with the beginning facial immersion is a great combo drill that affords both flutter kick reps and beginning breath holding.

Once your student is successful because of the extra facial immersion practice, then you can help him or her do the freestyle by encouraging him to put the face in the water for “one stroke” as you manipulate the arm. Got it?  Then you ask the child to do “one stroke” by his or herself. Before you know it, one becomes two, two becomes three, and so on.  Just keep encouraging, be patient, and convey that you believe in your student. If you can do this, you’ll soon have a beginning student swimming freestyle across the pool!

Let’s head to the pool so I can share with you a real example of one of my students taking her first few strokes:

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com  We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

The art of teaching children to swim means that sometimes you have to be creative, independent, spontaneous, practical, and even rule-bending.  In the end, it’s about what works best, what engages your students  the most.  One of the easiest ways you can make learning fun for young learners is to tap into their imagination.  Research from the John Hopkins School of Education illustrates the significant benefits from tapping into the imagination as it also stimulates a calming effect on a child’s emotions.  How is this instrumental to those of us teaching preschoolers that are non-swimmers (Swim 101)?

This calming effect turns on more circuits between “the feeling and thinking brain,” and integrates the right prefrontal lobe’s direct responses to emotions with the left prefrontal lobe’s ability to regulate these emotions. This allows the brain’s CEO to do its’ job, helping the child:

•         better control his or her impulses

•         manage negative emotions such as fear and frustration

•         soothe or comfort his or herself

•         move out of defensive behaviors

When you teach the Swim Lessons University Swim 101 curriculum to young children, you will experience the beauty of this approach first hand.  And when you can make swimming lessons for young children more playful; when you have the children engaged and using their imaginations, you are creating an atmosphere where your students are bound to excel and experience the joy of learning to swim.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com  We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

As professional swimming instructors, we would be ignorant not to spend some time understanding, learning, and embracing the developmental characteristics of the students we teach. Why? If you look at them, you will see that there are significant teaching implications based on the generally accepted milestones experienced throughout the childhood years.

Children of the ages of 3 and 4 are experiencing what are known as the “magic years.” The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that 3 and 4 year olds love “Fantasy” and “Pretend Play,” as our young student’s imaginations are running wild. Early childhood educators also agree that by age three, children are becoming more independent, both physically and emotionally. One teaching implication is to give them time to ‘get things right’ or do it for themselves.

This research-based advice also should remind swimming instructors to never forget that patience is one of your most important teaching tools. For first-time submersion, one teaching implication would be to allow your students to decide when “they” want to go underwater, while providing lots of encouragement, praise, and support .

Here is an example of an activity where both children are benefitting from the recommendations just mentioned:
1. The 4-year old girl is being given time to get it right for herself without being pressured.
2. Both children are enjoying the activity that can be individualized for first-time submersion and breath control as “pretend play” is being utilized to make learning fun.

Hope you enjoyed today’s blog!

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com  We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

Today’s blog is in a Q & A Format, as I answer questions from a baby swimming teacher from Thailand:

Thailand Instructor: After almost 9 years experince babies and toddlers to swim in Asia, Australia, and UK I am looking to find the best method for submerge progress. What I trying to know is that babies from 3 to 11 months are capable to hold their breath without doing any conditioning or water pouring activities?

Swim Professor: Babies do have an Epiglottal Reflex (Gag Reflex) that is well defined at birth and diminishes over the first 12-18 months of life.  So when water accidentally enters the mouth an involuntary spasm of the glottis and epiglottis occurs, keeping water out of the windpipe (trachea). This does NOT prevent water from entering the esophagus, which leads to the stomach.  At Swim Lessons University, our official Parent & Tot course does not begin until 12 months of age, although we make exceptions to start as young as 9 months.   There are three reasons:

1.  The American Academy of Pediatrics new recommendation is that swimming lessons can start at 12 months of age.

2. We want a baby’s pediatrician to approve of the activity.

3. Babies under 12 months of age are very limited from a motor skill standpoint. This prevents them from mastering real swimming skills in a joyful, positive environment.  Instead, we recommend our Bathtub Baby 101 Program.

Thailand Instructor:  If we prepare babies with stimulus activity such as pouring water with a full cup over head or with sprinkle, do babies accustom to this activity every time when they come to pool?  By pouring the a full cup of water will babies stop breathing? I experiment two different techniques. The first is pouring water over baby’s head and let baby know the verbal READY GO then gentle pull baby to self. In third class, after READY GO,  i pause a second then submerge the baby. The result was good, no crying, no coughing it was just positive reaction.

Swim Professor:  At Swim Lessons University, we use water-pouring activities ONLY as warm-up activity to get infants and toddlers comfortable with water on the face.  Your “Ready Go” command is fine (we use 1, 2, 3, breath cue) BUT the key is that your start command is consistent.  In other words, since our cue to the baby is “1, 2, 3, breathe” is the “signal” to the baby that we are going under water, we “condition” the baby “so to speak” that when they hear “1, 2, 3, breathe” that the submersion follows.   Here is a video example of this:

HOWEVER, if the baby communicates that he is scared thru verbal or body language, we would NOT submerge the baby.

***ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:  Just because a baby isn’t coughing or gagging DOES NOT mean that the baby isn’t drinking the water.  This is one reason we think it is critical to go under water and watch the baby during submersions. In addition, we think it is important to limit the number of submersions you do with the baby over the course of a 25 minute lesson.

Thailand Instructor:  In another technique, I did cup conditioning for two weeks. READY GO then pouring a full cup of water over baby’s head. Running the water fast and smooth only for a second (practice as long as baby was happy, 5 times).  So, in third week when i hold the cup and i say the READY GO then suddenly baby reacts such as closing the eyes and intense face. I did submerge baby positively same as first one, but i relized that i have to do cup conditioning for before first submerge in every class.

Swim Professor:  Again, I would just look at the “water pouring” as a warm-up activity during a song (as seen in the Parent & Tot DVD), not as part of the conditioning process.  In addition, we don’t necessarily wait for a “certain number of classes” to let our toddlers perform breath holding or breath control activities.  If the toddler is receptive to the skill on the first day and you are using a child-focused progression and common sense, you will find many toddlers are ready for facial immersion on the first day.  On the other hand, any indication that the child is not ready should be the instructor’s sign to come back to it on perhaps the following class.   All skills should be done at the child’s pace, NOT the parent’s or instructor’s.

Thailand Instructor:  Would you please help to know more about holding breath progress and also about baby’s reflexes?

Swim Professor:  Of course I discussed the Epiglottal Reflex earlier.   In terms of breath holding, it’s all about the child’s readiness.   In our Parent & Tot Certification Course, we cover this in detail.  But we combine breath holding with the Surface Swim Progression.  Here is a look at the first two steps of our 3-STAGE PROGRESSION:

STAGE ONE:
Here is Stage One of a Surface Swim with 21-month old, Saylor. Watch how I keep my eyes on her face to ensure she is happy throughout the process, I never let her go, nor do I take her underneath the surface of the water. Humans swim at the surface, therefore, especially when you introduce swimming to young infants and toddlers you avoid taking them under the surface or dunking them. You gently place the face in the water after giving a 1-2-3 start command. Secondly, you bring them up for air when they are ready. Don’t overstay your welcome. Their facial expressions and their body language tells you everything you need to know in order to keep the task child-focused.

STAGE TWO
Here is Stage Two of the Surface Swim Progression. Notice how I watch my student under water ensuring each moment of the swim is a positive one. Now that Rex successfully performed stage two, he is ready for stage three which is the “pop-up breath.”

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim was the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com 

We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

In the “Swim 101” Lesson Plan, you will notice that we like to rotate three different flutter kick activities for variety and to keep the FUN in the Fundamentals. While the emphasis doesn’t change (we are still working on developing a sound freestyle kick), we add a new kick activity every two lessons. THIS ACTIVITY, “Let’s Build a Castle” is a great one that your young students are sure to love. Take a look and give it a try in your next swim lessons. The colorful building blocks can be found on the Swim Lessons University website under “Swim Instructor Accessories.”

For the entire “Swim 101” Course curriculum, check out the Swim Lessons University.  Swim 101 video highlights and samples of the entire course video can be found on the Swim Lessons University website.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University certification program and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com  We have training and certification programs designed for both private instructors as well as organizations like YMCAs, Recreation Departments, Athletic Clubs, and more.

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

When teaching preschoolers how to kick, the first thing we like to do have our young learners practice kicking in place. While that is standard in many learn-to-swim programs, here is how we make it fun and different.   If you listen closely, you will notice we made this traditional stationary kick drill into an “activity” by getting the imagination involved–which engages the  young learner and redirects fears.  Take a look and listen:

So saying something like, “Let’s pretend we are out on a boat. We’re taking a nice little boat ride when all of the sudden … our boat gets stuck in the mud! Let’s hold the step and “kick small and fast” so we can get our boat out of the mud! Ready, set, go!”

Then after your young students kick for 15 seconds or so, congratulate them for kicking so well. Say something like:  “you kicked so well you got your boats out of the mud! Say “HORRAY!”

Hope you enjoyed today’s blog.   To see how we then transition that skill into other fun swim lesson activities, you may want to check out the 2nd Edition of our SWIM 101 video.  How to Teach Young Children to Swim.  A Comprehensive Video Course for Training and Certifying Swimming Instructors.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has named Jim Reiser the recipient of the 2015 Virginia Hunt Newman Award for his curriculum and approach in teaching infants, toddlers, and children to swim.  Jim is the first American to win the award in 10 years.

If you would like to learn more about the Swim Lessons University Online Swim Instructor Certification  and curriculum, make sure to visit us at www.SwimLessonsUniversity.com

Swim Lessons University is currently being utilized by recreation departments, YMCAs, America Camp Association swim lessons programs, as well as by private swimming instructors in 45 states and over 30 countries!

You can also call us toll free at 1-866-498-SWIM (7946).

Do you incorporate the use of toys when you teach your swim lessons for kids?  Swim Toys can certainly add a dynamic to your class that helps young children get extra excited about learning, and often even help redirect a child who may be scared or hesitant in the beginning.  Nevertheless, when you teach swimming lessons to children between three and five years old, I think it’s extremely important that the toys have a purpose.  In other words, don’t just have toys for the sake of having toys.

Here is a list of examples of swim lesson activities, the swim lesson toys we use, and the purpose of what we are teaching in our preschool swim lessons curriculum at Swim Lessons University:

• First Time Submersion (skill), Danny the Dolphin Time (activity), & Dolphin Puppet (toy)
• Kicking (skill), Let’s Go Fishing (activity), Floating fish and small nets (toys)
• Prone Kicking & Breath Holding (skill), Super Heroes (activity) and Super Hero  Capes (toy)
• Paddle Stroke (skill), Pretend You’re a Puppy (activity), and Puppy Noses, which we place on the forehead (toy)

Many times you can do without toys and just get the children to use their imagination.  That’s a big part of making learning like play.  We do this when we practice swimming with the face in the water, and we pretend to “Swim Like a Fish (activity).”

You can watch these activities in action and many more on the Swim 101 and/or Home Swim School DVD’s.  You can also watch free swim lesson video samples of some of these swim lesson ideas to get an inside look at what great DVD courses we have for you and your swim lesson instructors!

George Bernard Shaw once said, “What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.”

Think about that . . .  this word of advice may be one of the best swim lesson tips you could receive for teaching anyone.  If your student is full of curiosity, excitement, and driven to learn and get better, the child will do wonderfully.  The best swim lessons instructor knows how to engage their students to the degree that they can not help but to learn and excel.

In the DVD, Teach Like a Pro you can learn many tricks of the trade that will allow you to be more effective and even motivate your students.   Whatever you can do to create an internal drive in the student will enhance his/her ability to master the skills at hand.

Whether you are teaching a preschooler who needs learning to be like play or an adult who needs the confidence to relax and acquire skills.   When one is in pursuit of knowledge vs. the other way around, teachers will get the best from their students.

Do you approach your preschool lessons differently than your school aged lessons?   I do now!

In my latest article on About.com: swimming, you can learn my new approach to teaching swim lessons for preschoolers, including why and how it’s different!