Welcome to AquaMobile's video series on infant swimming.
In this video we're going to go over how to introduce your baby to the water when you're
at the pool.
In the last lesson, we discussed how to prepare your baby for lessons using bath time at home.
Now, we're going to elaborate and show you the steps you should take to introduce your
baby to the water at the pool!
All while ensuring their experience is as comfortable as can be.
Hi there, my name's May and this is Nazreen and it's her first ever lesson with an instructor
in the water.
It's important to build a bond and a level of comfort in the water, so, you don't really
know what level their going to be at in terms of comfort in the water.
You want to make sure that you practice getting their face wet, getting them comfortable blowing
bubbles even, getting them comfortable floating on their front and back.
All with assistance ofcourse, from an instructor.
Sitting on the edge like this, for example, and helping them kick their feet helps them
develop a level of comfort with splashing, and getting water on their legs and maybe
their hands.
Next thing we're going to do is try and bring her into the water.
Ok? so we're going to go on in now.
It's ok.
What do we see up there?
So, in order to build the comfort up, we can do something like sing a song.
Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky twinkle, twinkle little star how
I wonder what you are.
That was great!
The first thing you're going to want to do is the back float.
It's usually best to start to get your baby accustomed to the water with the back float.
As you just saw, back float calmed Nazreen down quickly.
Back float lets your baby experience buoyancy safely and comfortably since it ensures water
doesn't get onto their face.
You can even use a floaty like this one to get them used to the sensation and build confidence
all while encouraging them to kick their feet.
Now let's take a look at how to do the front float!
To keep them nice and supported on their front and help them feel nice and safe, you can
use your shoulder to keep them propped up like this.
See the way Nazreen feels that she can keep her head supported up above?
In this position, you can actually extend your arms out right underneath the child.
Keep your hands right on the feet and practice kicking or gliding.
Great job kicking!
Once again, we can sing a song to make things even more enjoyable.
Similar to before, use a floaty like this to get them into the prone position during
front float and encourage them to kick.
So moving through the water in a glide formation like this of course supporting up here on
the shoulder helps them learn how to be comfortable in the water in a horizontal position like
this.
Ok the next step, we're going to do that on our back.
You're going to flip onto the back.
Once again, supporting the head on the shoulder like this.
Very good.
And using your arms as support, like that!
Very good.
And we're going to do our back glide.
Wooow.
Very good.
To make their time even more enjoyable in the water, make sure to have some colourful
toys nearby that you can use to help teach.
How about we get a toy that we can reach for in the water?
Ok, let's get some of these.
Which one would you like?
Which one, which one?
Do you want one?
If you have objects like this ball right here for example, that float.
You can practice placing the ball in front, placing the floatable object in front and
have them reach for the object.
When they reach for the object, they're splashing, they're promoting a nice streamline and horizontal
position in the water and they're also probably going to get their face a little bit wet.
So it's working on all aspects of comfort in the water with them.
Let's try it out.
Yay!
That was really good.
Even though they might not be ready to blow bubbles right away.
You want to make sure that you're consistently demonstrating to them, what proper bubbles
look like.
And what submerging your whole face underwater looks like.
Children copy what you do, so eventually, if they see you doing it enough, they're going
to try and copy it.
So every chance you get, you can hold them out, face them, and try and show them those
bubbles!
Blowing bubbles may seem inconsequential.
But it's a great way to ease kids into understanding breath control.
To make blowing bubbles fun, have your child pretend to be a little fish blowing tiny bubbles
in the water.
Consistently demonstrate how to blow bubbles, do it every chance you get!
Oh, don't drink the water!
Don't force your child's head and don't rest your hand on the back of their head while
their face is under the water.
Doing either of those things will make your child feel a loss of control.
That will make it hard for you to convince them to try again.
At this age, we're not quite going to be doing jumps or dives yet.
Right off into the deep end.
But, we can start inspiring the love for jumping into the water.
Jumping off the edge into the water might be a little bit tough if it's the first lesson.
And some don't quite get as comfortable right away, however, every child is different.
So, yours might be jumping the first day, but don't worry if they're not just yet.
You can take your time.
So we can do that by a simple sitting jump off the edge like this.
Of course with the assistance of an instructor or parent.
Looks like this.
Great job!
That was great!
Placing a toy that they like or they want, might help them come on into the water a little
bit easier.
See, do you want that?
Come on in.
Great job!
Oh my gosh, that was awesome!
That was so good!Let's do a quick review of this lesson.
During your child's first swimming lesson, you need to build a bond and a level of comfort
in the water.
Your first steps will be to get the face, hands and feet wet by sitting them on the
edge of the pool and helping them kick their feet.
You'll want to start with the back float and a front float in which you're supporting them
with your shoulder and work your way up to glides, blowing bubbles and jumps!
Remember that persistence and consistency are they key to your baby's learning.
Happy swimming!
Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time!