Swimming Lesson Plan Babies - Aditional - USWIM

Another Swimming Lesson Plan For Babies

The following are my notes on USWIM Babies water conditioning lesson plans and I have included links to their site and quality videos. As good as the USWIM lesson plans are, there are things worth commenting on and adding notes to. I have therefore taken this one and where appropriate added my own comments thoughts and links. In my opinion these note make good lesson plans much better.

Please print out USWIM's PDF to take with you to the pool, they are much prettier than mine. But I encourage you to read my notes first as I believe that it will help with you understanding on teaching these lessons.

Level 1 - Babies Skill 1 - Conditioning

The question is “How long do you practice each of these skills?” and the answer is as long “as it takes to master the skill”. You should put a limit on it however. Experience tells me about 8 to 12 weeks is a good time frame for each Level.

Pre Lesson Check List:

• Have you scheduled swim time before eat and sleep times?
  This is not critical but has some scheduling benefits:
  1. Your child associates the pool with other pleasurable activities even if they don’t like bed time, the routine and play will help.
  2. You are less likely to have bowl movement or throwing up issues
• Towel for you and baby Never allow your child to get cold not only does it makes them associate the pool with unpleasantness but it may open the door for all sorts of health issues
• Sun protection or at the very least sunscreen If you are out in the open.
  Mind you I am not a big fan of teaching babies (4 months - 12 months) to learn to swim in outdoor pool. You can't get the water temperature warm enough even if they are wearing wet suites.
• Swim nappy Soooo important! There is nothing more embarrassing than a poop in the water, not to mention inconvenient for everybody else as the pool should be cleared, cleaned and the chemicals re-balanced.
• Water and environment conditions good Ideally about 34 Deg C but provided they are only in the water for about ½ an hour anything above 32 Deg C is ok. If it’s lower than this you defiantly need a baby’s wetsuit.

Lesson Procedure:

1. Get your child accustom to the pool 3 - 5 min(Depending on how well our child relaxes). Enter the water slowly holding your child firmly in a close cuddle or however your child resounds most positively to the water. If you do nothing else all lesson or the next few lessons, until your child is happy in the water you have had a great lesson.
   
   Use toys (properly used toys can be a great tool for water familiarization and conditioning) to create a positive reaction to the water. If you do nothing else all lesson or the next few lessons, until your child is happy in the water you have had a great lesson. Do your absolute best to minimize stressing your child out.
   
   
2. Songs(Print lesson Plan)
   
   
3. Toy selection and play (See my post on throwing and collecting)
   
   
4. Water pour – Prepare properly (click to see my post) then “{Your Child’s Name}, Ready, Go!”
   This is most important as it prepares the child to get ready to go under the water when the time comes.
   
   
5. Reward time (child’s favorite activity)

Teaching Toddler Swimming

Level 1 - Babies Skill 2 - 6

The question is “How long do you practice each of these skills?” and the answer is as long “as it takes to master the skill”. You should put a limit on it however. Experience tells me about 8 to 12 weeks is a good time frame for each Level.

Level 2 - Babies Skill 4 - Dog Paddling

See my article on Dog Paddling

Level 3 - Skill 2 - Beginner Freestyle

This method is called "catchup stroke" and it can sometimes be controversial amongst swim teachers. But as I have said in my link, the method is perfectly valid, even if it is not what some schools teach. It does work and will achieve the goal of getting your child to swim Freestyle, don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Just be aware that if after teaching your child this way you, for one reason or another decide to send them to a swim school, they may start to teach them another method.

Whilst this may create some confusion for a short time, unless the teacher is completely incompetent, their method will work too; you just need to give it time.

Remember that the Children in the video's are showing how it should be done. You cannot expect your child to be as proficient as that on there first go. It will take time and patience. The first few times may look totally unlike the video and even if your child gets it first time that doesn't mean that the next time you go into the pool things will be the same. Kids go backwards but they don't stay there long if you just keep encouraging them and gently correcting their position and actions.

Enjoy
   Richard