Some children may be initially apprehensive or fearful of being in the water. Overcoming this fear and building confidence in the water can take time and patience from the instructor, parent, and child. Here are some things you can do to make your child’s lessons a success:
- Be consistent. Come to every lesson and arrive at least five minutes early.
- Make sure your child uses the restroom right before lessons.
- If your child doesn’t want to get into the water, ask for help from your instructor.
- Celebrate your child’s progress with our stamps and stickers!
- Watch other children swimming before lessons.
- Watch our fast-track videos between lessons.
- Film your child swimming and watch it after lessons together.
- Cheer for your child during lessons.
- Focus on what is going well and express that to your child during and after lessons. E.g. “Good job floating,” “I like how you are listening to your teacher,” and “I saw you were getting better at putting your face in the water today.”
- Remind your child that he can do hard things! “When we work at things they get easier!” “Even though floating is hard for you, I saw you listening and trying your best!”
- Pick out a swim toy or other reward your child can work towards earning once she is happy in lessons.
We see the best progress in children when their parents are consistent. When a child is fearful, continuing to bring him to lessons will help him overcome his fears! Most students will quit crying between lessons three and five. If your child is under the age of five or fearful of the water, we recommend beginning with a fast track. This will help get through the difficult lessons more quickly and master the basic safety skills at a faster pace.
Ready to dive into fun? If you’re in Davis, Salt Lake, or Utah Counties, secure your child’s spot at SwimKids now! Click here to register and make a splash today!