Let your child set the pace
All children progress at different stages when learning to walk, talk or read and the same goes for swimming. It’s important not to place any expectations on your child as the parent/caregiver and to let them learn the skill at their own pace.
Water safety first
Learning water safety (both children and caregivers) is a skill for life. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental deaths in under 5s and the highest risk occurs between 1-2years of age.
Keep fun and play front of mind
As discussed in our blog Learning to swim through play, it’s more important to focus on ensuring your child is having fun while learning than feeling pressured into developing a skill quickly. All children will learn to kick when they swim – some do it on the first day, others after lots of practise. The same goes for all skills learnt in the water.
Positive reassurance and motivation
Always reassure your child they are doing great, whether they are progressing or not. Learning to swim isn’t easy for most children, so every effort they make should be rewarded with praise and positive feedback.
Looping back to water safety, research has shown that smiling at a child when they are learning something new can provide safety and reassurance. This can lead to more confidence in the water and feeling ready to try new skills – resulting in the ability to develop key safety skills.