At Aquabubs, we consistently and repeatedly practice these 5 basic but important swimming skills. We believe with our teaching methodology, learning these 5 skills encourages your child to be more confident in the water, to be safer and more aware in the water and around water and it promotes independence when it comes to swimming as well.
Here are the 5 basic but important swimming skills:
1) Water conditioning - This is the first skill we introduce at the start of every class. It promotes water familiarisation and prepares your child for submersion.
2) Kicking - This skill is important because it promotes forward movement and developing a proper kick takes a lot of time. Being able to achieve a good flutter kick on the front and the back builds the foundation for good freestyle and backstroke as well.
3) Breathe Control - This skill can be separated into two different categories, the first is to blow bubbles and learn how to breathe in the water without ingesting any of it, the second category is to learn how to hold their breath which is a great skill to build towards a good float and longer submersions.
4) Floats - Floating, whether it be on the front or the back helps promote a good body position and it definitely helps build your child’s confidence in the water. Floating on the back is a great skill to teach relaxation and breath holding without having to submerge into the water. It is also a key safety skill to master.
5) Paddles - Learning how to paddle allows your child to develop better motor skills when it comes to propulsion, it also allows your child to reach out and feel the water pressure on the palm of their hands. Paddling is also a great way to promote independent breath exchange when it comes to swimming independently.
With the five skills mentioned above, do remember that it takes a lot of practice and consistency to master. Be sure to always be patient with your child’s progress and try not to rush the submersion process until your child can perform good water conditioning exercises. The process to gain a child’s trust in the water is a long winding road of questions and assurance.
We always advise you to be patient when your child refuses to do a certain activity or exercise and repetition is always a good way to build trust and confidence.
A happy swimmer is a good swimmer for life!