Learning to swim is a thrilling experience for a child. They not only learn the fundamentals of water safety, but they also lay the groundwork for an active and healthy lifestyle. It is important to remember that when you teach children to swim, they improve at a different pace. Some learn new skills quickly, while others take longer and need more perseverance. Here are some tips to help your swimmer learn to swim smoothly, no matter what type of learner they are.
1. Practice at home
If you have a pool, you should take your child swimming regularly. Make sure they spend some time in the water without flotation devices.
If you don't have access to a pool or a bathtub, your child can practise their swimming techniques and movements even out of the water. Several movement patterns that your new swimmer will be expected to perform are not ones we usually do in our daily lives. Accurate repetition is essential in learning to swim to improve muscle memory of a particular movement. Flutter kicks with pointed toes, arm strokes for freestyle, and breath holding are skills that younger swimmers under the age of 5 can quickly learn at home while standing in front of a mirror. All of these abilities can be honed at home and without water.
2. Attend classes regularly
Swimming lessons are a sequence, so attending classes regularly is the cornerstone for progress. Advanced skills are layered on top of previously learned basic skills. This will not happen if regular attendance is not maintained. Regular attendance also allows the student and instructor to stay in sync and produce faster results. Your swimmer will feel more comfortable trying new things in the water as the instructor builds trust with them.
While waiting for your child's next session, you can continue to assist them at home in practising and improving whenever possible. If you try to teach them multiple things in a single day, they will forget, become confused, and perform poorly. Set aside dates in your calendar for your lessons and stick to them. Every session, aim for a half-hour of swimming. It is the ideal amount of time to keep children actively involved and memorise what they have learned.
3. Swim all year round
The best way to maintain your child's water confidence and learning momentum is to enrol them in swim lessons all year. A child's ability to learn a skill improves with practice. Fulton Swim School’s year-round classes allow students to swim regularly, fine-tune, and master their techniques throughout the year. A child who takes swim lessons all year is far less likely to experience learning plateaus or gaps where skills must be relearned before progressing to the next level. Year-round swimmers advance more quickly than seasonal swimmers.
4. Maintain a positive attitude
As a parent, it should go without saying that using positive words and being supportive about swimming is beneficial to your child. Your constant encouragement is just as valuable as their classes and practice. They will get there with more time, patience, and motivation. Remain to be upbeat and emphasise the importance of swimming lessons.
Comparisons should be avoided because each child's learning pace is different. It may appear that your child has reached a learning plateau or has regressed. This is normal, and you should stay positive so that your child does not give up. Always remember that it requires some level of practice to learn a new skill like swimming. So, keep the positive reinforcement coming.
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5. Establish goals
Help your swimmer in setting swimming goals to determine what your child expects from swimming lessons. You might be amazed by what your kids say. Working toward an attainable goal can inspire and motivate them. Simple objectives can include going underwater without goggles or jumping into the water independently. Or, they may simply want to learn to swim to have fun in the pool, or they may look up to Michael Phelps and strive to compete. Their goals determine the amount of time a child should devote to swimming lessons.
6. Make it fun
A bored child will be the last thing you want when you teach swimming at home. Turning swimming lessons into a game is one of the most effective ways to make learning more enjoyable. Encourage them to swim longer distances, pass through a hula hoop, or retrieve diving sticks from the pool's bottom. To encourage your child to learn to swim, use toys and floaters and hold races. Intuitively, children tend to defy their parents. That is why blending your sessions with lessons from a swimming instructor will support your child's progress.
7. Invite friends
When their peers surround them, children are often more courageous. This is especially helpful for children who are afraid of swimming. This is one of the reasons why enrolling your child in swim lessons is extremely helpful. They are teeming with peers and instructors who help children learn to swim. This sense of community among fellow students can help children gain confidence when learning new skills. Your child will be inspired to do the same when their peers advance to the next level, dive into the water, and concentrate purely on their swimming lessons.
8. Sign up for swimming lessons
Learning to swim, on the other hand, becomes more difficult as we age, so it is far better to start swimming lessons as soon as possible. It's best to leave something as important as swimming to the professionals. Enrolling in a class can be a wise investment because certified professionals will teach you and your child the proper techniques and practices. Swimming with confidence is nearly impossible if you don't have good technique. Swimming instructors also recommend that parents monitor their children's progress during swim lessons and keep them going until they have mastered basic water skills.
Is there anyone in my area who provides enjoyable swimming lessons?
Swimming lessons for kids should be exciting and enjoyable, and that's precisely what Fulton Swim School provides – pedagogic and fun individual and group swimming lessons for your children.
Fulton Swim School is proud to offer year-round, small group classes in a warm indoor swimming pool, where we celebrate the personal achievements of your children all through their time with us. We deliver exciting swim lessons in a safe and comfortable environment, taught by nurturing and energetic instructors.
Please visit your nearest Fulton Swim School to speak with one of our instructors about how we can help your child improve their swimming faster. You can also visit our website to learn more about our swimming lessons, facilities, and fantastic team and reserve you or child a spot to begin swimming lessons.
