The primary goal of a parent tot class is to increase the comfort and
familiarity of the swimming pool and water to an infant.

Supported front glides are one of the first fundamental skills we’ll do in the water with infants.

We want to introduce infants and toddlers to swimming in a positive, loving, caring, environment and create trust and habit through effective holding.

The first hold is the supported front float.

 

Build comfort.

Face to face; smile.

Put parent shoulders in water too!

  1. Hold the infant or toddler like a football. Wrap the thumbs around the chest and belly and your fingers around their shoulders or back.
  2. Bend your elbows so that the infant or toddler is horizontal to the water with their face just above the surface.
  3. Submerge as much of the infant’s body as possible while still keeping the head and face upright.
  4. Parents must put their shoulders in the water and get on eye level with the swimmer.
  5. Walk backwards to create a movement sensation.

Alternate hand hold is the palm up hold.

  1. With your palms up, support the infant’s belly and chest with your hands.
  2. Thumbs would wrap around the infant’s shoulders.
  3. Fingers are stretched along the belly and ribs, pinky fingers touching under the infant’s body.
  4. Keep as much of the infant’s body underwater keeping the face and head above water.
  5. Parents stays at eye level with their own shoulders underwater too.
  6. Walk backwards to create sensation of movement.

Testable goal:

The infant or toddler is comfortable being held and supported in a horizontal position. If the infant goes underwater or enjoys putting their face in consider it a win! They are happy, relaxed, joyful, and enjoying the time spent in the water with their parent or guardian.

Happy little sports man has swimming lesson with mother – active baby swim with fun in woman hands in swimming pool. Family lifestyle and summer children water activity and swimming lesson with parent

Bonus Goals:

  • Infant or toddler willingly puts their lips and face in the water on their own.
  • With prompting and mimicking the child blows bubbles and kisses the water when requested.
  • Excitement and joy if the parent removes support and lets the child float in their body wake while walking backwards.

Activities to achieve this goal:

Sing songs! Play in groups! Participate in the selected games and songs provided.

Parent Tot (swimminglessonsideas.com)

 

Leverage shallow water if possible

Play in shallow water and give your swimmers a chance to move alone with severe parent supervision.

Challenges to achieve this goal:

Challenges are like games but with less moving parts and quicker.

Challenge:
Throw a toy and get it. Swimmer throws a floating toy into the pool. Do a jump into the a hug, then transition into a front float with the parent. Pick up toy and return to the wall to do again.

Challenge:
How many kisses can you give? In a supported front float position walk around the class space 2x and kiss the water as many times as possible. Winners kiss the water the most.

Challenge:
Bubble Bubble Alligator. Put your lips and nose underwater while doing a supported front float with infant and pretend to be an alligator. Blow bubbles and make dramatic eye movements to make child laugh. Then encourage the child to do the same for you.

Infant disclaimer:

Teaching swimming to an infant between 6 months to a year is not the same as teaching swimming to an older child or an adult.

At this age, infants are not yet able to learn the technical aspects of swimming, such as strokes, breathing, and coordination.

Instead, the main goal of swimming lessons for infants is to build comfort, experience, and good memories in the water.

Water play can help infants get used to being in the water, and develop a positive association with it. It can also be a fun and bonding activity for parents and infants, as they splash, paddle, and sing together. Water play can also stimulate infants’ sensory and motor development, as they explore the different sensations and movements of the water2.

When introducing infants to the water, it is important to create a loving, caring, and compassionate environment that builds confidence and fosters bravery and comfort in the water. This means that parents should never force their infants to go into the water, or submerge their heads, if they are not ready or willing. Instead, parents should respect their infants’ cues and preferences, and follow their pace and interest. Parents should also praise their infants for their efforts and achievements, and encourage them to try new things, but without pressure or expectations3.

Swimming lessons for infants are a slow, gradual, and building process, and not an abrupt, frightening, and terrifying experience. By exposing infants to the water in a gentle and playful way, parents can help them develop a lifelong love and respect for the water, and prepare them for more formal swimming lessons when they are older.