How to do it:

• Have them stand on the steps
• Stand back and encourage them to “1, 2, 3, push!”
• Let their face get wet
• Encourage kicks after gliding

Why we do it:

• Encourages getting in water
• Gliding is done independently which helps build confidence
• Gets them comfortable getting their face splashed

How to do it:

• Have them lay back “like we’re laying in bed”
• Place your hands on them lower back and rest them head on your shoulder
• Legs straight and together, belly pulled up, and arms straight out to the sides “like a big airplane”

Why we do it:

• Back floats are one of the most important swimming skills for young kids because it gives them an opportunity to rest and breathe if they’re too tired to continue swimming or treading
• Back floats are a building block to back stroke

How to do it:

• While they’re floating on their back (head should be resting on your shoulder), place your hands around them waist
• Rotate them from them back to your belly while turning your body with them

Why we do it:

• Getting their body used to the feeling of flipping over
• In a situation where a child falls in the pool unexpectedly, the most ideal situation would be for them to float on them back, kick them legs to get to the wall, and roll over on them belly to grab the edge and climb out

How to do it:

• Direct them to the wall and have them place TWO hands on the wall. Give them a moment to get situated and then see if they’ll hold on without your assistance
• Once they seem comfortable, have them start to walk them hands along the edge
• Once they’re gone a few feet, have them switch directions and go back the other way

Why we do it:

• Directing them to the wall and allowing them to hold on to the wall without your assistance gives them an opportunity to be independent in the pool, which builds confidence
• Monkey Crawl is a beneficial skill so that if a child can reach the edge but can’t climb out where they are, they can move to a ladder or stairs
• Monkey Crawl also allows young children to explore the deep end safely

How to do it:

• Stand up above them and have your hands on their hips
• Encourage them to do “green light kicks” with them legs and “big ice cream scoops” with them arms
• Allow their chin to be in the water and let some water to splash on their face as they swim
• As you continue to practice this skill, you can let them body go lower and lower into the water and you can slowly provide less and less support with your hands that are holding them up
• After a bit, you should be able to hold them very lightly with just one hand under the lower belly

Why we do it:

• Learning to kick our legs and scoop our arms is the foundation of swimming

How to do it:

• Have your child climb out of the pool and sit on the edge with their feet in the water
• Give them a little bit of your hands and have them count to three and slide in the water
• Allow them to fully go underwater each time
• Develop this skill to be a standing jump into the pool

Why we do it:

• This stimulates the feeling of falling or jumping in the water
• Gives an opportunity to get their face wet a lot
• Can be developed by starting with both hands, switching to one hand only, and then having them come in voluntarily with no hands
• Can also be developed by starting with their chin in the water, dropping lower on the next one so their mouth goes in, then eventually developing into a full dunk under