Teaching Children to Swim…..

My Mom tells me that I was swimming by 18 months!  That seems crazy to me, but I think I was born half-fish!  I love swimming, I grew up in Florida and if we weren’t at the pool, we were at the beach.  It is so important that my children know how to swim!!

My kids have never had swimming lessons.  With my oldest son Lincoln, I just kept him in the pool all the time and it came naturally.  I also had two hands and ALL my attention to devote to him so it was easy.  Since then, it hasn’t been possible to teach the younger children to swim.  They both love the pool, but NEED to know how to swim.

I will be enrolling all three kids in swimming lessons this year.  I want to know that if anything were ever to happen, they would be able to save themselves.  I was a lifeguard and swimming instructor when I was younger, so I have learned a few things as to what works and what doesn’t.  With my kids, they do best when I make it a game!! So…before the swimming lessons start this summer, here a few ideas to get them having fun in the water.

1.  DunkaRoos – Have your child place both hands on the side of the pool with their legs dangling in the water.  Count 1, 2, Dunkaroo and have them go under the water as much as they can and the POP back up.

2.  Kickboards - These are the best!!  Buy one with their favorite character on top and let them kick around the pool (with you supporting them – of course) for as long as they can.  This teaches them to use their legs at all times.

3.  Goggles – This was the kicker for my son Lincoln.  He hated the water in his eyes.  The goggles cured that for him and he is never caught without his goggles!

Good luck at the pool this summer and have fun teaching your little one to be safe and happy in the water!!

Do you plan on teaching your child to swim? Why or why not? Please share in the comments below.