Fun in the swimming pool: Games that teach confidence

Now you have a family pool and it is time to get in the water. Even if your child cannot swim yet, don’t hesitate to bring her with you. There are various ways to help your child enjoy your pool in a fun and safe way.

Make sure, she understands, that she is never allowed to climb into the pool herself. If you are interested in efficient safety features, read our entry about pool-covers. But most of all, take the time to teach your little ones how to float, swim and get out of the pool-section that is to deep for her.

Teach confidence first
As with all new skills it is most important to teach confidence first. This will help your child not to panic in case of an accident, but to use the skills you taught her. Start with blowing bubbles. Consider using a straw at first when your child is scared to put her whole head in the water. Sometimes watering cans and little buckets help to overcome the fear of getting head and face wet. Goggles are also a good way to help your child loosing the fear of diving under the surface.

Once the child is comfortable with this, increase the amount of time spent under water. Let her watch you sit down on the bottom, make funny faces and talk and hum to each other under water. You might even add an educational session about the ways dolphins and whales communicate. Soon your little one will be in charge of the role-playing session in the pool.

Add fun with floating and diving toys
Bring floating toys for a treasure hunt across the pool. Bigger kids love diving for things on the ground. For little ones it is a great confidence boost to dive under a noodle, which floats on the surface. If you do not have a noodle, just use your stretched out arm.

When your child is comfortable being wet from head to toes, teach them to float. Try floating like a starfish (on the back with hands and legs stretched out like a star), glide like a needle-fish (all straight, please guide your child in this position) or let your feet dangle like the tentacles of a jellyfish. Your child will find out quickly which position will be the most comfortable one to float (starfish).

Use songs to teach skills
Use songs to encourage your child to do the correct swim movements. The wheels of the bus go round a round can easily be changed to: “This is the way we blow our bubbles…” or “This is the way we move our arms/feet... “A game of “Ring around a rosie” can end with blowing some bubbles, diving under or throwing your child in the water – depending on their skill and confidence level. Many swim classes use the “Itsy bitsy spider song” to let the child climb along the side of the pool to get to the steps or ladder.

Remember: Your goal is to help your child learn to paddle or float to the side of the pool and safely get to the next exist. But safety comes always first. Never leave your child alone in or at the pool. Ask Jamie Snyder of The Albert Landscaping Group of possible safety features for your pool area.