Swimming lessons for children

 

Swimming lessons for children

Teaching children to swim is essential; In addition, swimming is a great recreational and sports activity. It is also a life skill that a child must master from an early age so that he can save his life in case of drowning; Where studies indicate that drowning is the second most common cause of death among children under the age of fourteen, teaching children such an important skill; It is essential to start making a schedule of swimming sessions in which the child learns to swim, since teaching children many things in one day can make them confused and forget what they have previously learned. 

 It is recommended that the duration of a session for learning to swim is only half an hour, and after making a clear time plan according to a specific schedule, start teaching children how to kick their legs in the water so that they can float successfully. .  the water making sure to keep it as straight as possible, then the child moves on to learn how to hold their breath correctly in the water; And that's after learning how to float and kick correctly, and this is implemented by having the child hold their breath and then put their mouth in the water, and gradually move to hold their breath through their mouth and nose and how to coordinate between they. . 

 It is also recommended that the child is provided with swimming goggles when learning this part of swimming. Regarding the last stage of the method of teaching swimming for children; It teaches them how to move forward in the pool, which relies on alternate use of the baby's arms to lift himself up and forward in the water along with alternate leg kicks that help the child propel his body through the water.  and after a while the child will be able to coordinate the movements of his arms and legs more naturally; This makes it able to move smoothly in the water.

The different method of teaching swimming according to the different age groups of children

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teaching children to swim when they are at least four years old. This is the age when children are thought to be ready and able to absorb the different principles and skills of swimming, but parents can teach their children to swim between the ages of one and four, and it should be noted that The age of the child plays an important role in how quickly he learns to swim. 

A child's age affects the motor skills needed to learn to swim. Considering that a three-year-old child may need thirty training sessions to be able to swim; A six-year-old may need up to half as many lessons as a three-year-old, and there is a lot of general advice for teaching children to swim, which can vary for different age groups. children as

Children under two years old

First of all, you should start by checking the temperature of the pool water and checking its suitability for the child's body when teaching children under two years of age to swim, and then start carrying the child and introducing him into the water slowly.  and progressive; To avoid fear, care must be taken that the child's first experience in the water is pleasant and entertaining, and that they are taught to hit the water to spread it.  After that, the child is carried so that his face is facing his father, then the father begins to walk slowly backwards using his arms to instruct the child how to kick the water with his feet, then he trains him .  The child explains how to float in different ways, in addition to teaching him how to breathe while he is in the pool.

Children from two to four years old

It is recommended that children between the ages of two and four first become familiar with the water and what to do in the water if the experience of swimming is new to them; This is because they are old enough to understand what to do, which includes teaching the child the principles of using the pool; Like not swimming alone, staying away from places where water drains, and not playing recklessly in the water.  The child will then practice breathing in the pool and kicking the water with their feet. The child is then taught to swim using the arms while kicking the water off the legs. Various techniques are used to increase the child's swimming proficiency, and finally the child is trained to submerge his head in the water and then let him swim alone with a lifejacket.

Children over four years old

First, it must be ensured that children in this age group master the basic skills mentioned above, thus moving on to teaching them advanced techniques; Like different paddling techniques, as well as how to properly enter the water; where they have to jump into the water so that their outstretched arms reach first before the other parts of their body, then the child is taught to use their feet and straightens them slightly below the surface of the water making sure the child keeps their chin above the surface of the water while kicking and paddling, and finally children are taught how to regulate exhalation below the surface of the water, how to use their nose and mouth together to exhale, as well as mixing different techniques of swimming.  techniques and teach them how to stand correctly in the water and others.

Different abilities of children in learning to swim

There are many things that show a difference in how quickly a child responds to learning to swim, and these things include the child's build, genes, and physical characteristics; Because a child's genetics and physical and mental abilities can affect how quickly swimming skills are assimilated, parents and coaches must absolutely ensure that any child, regardless of ability, can learn to swim, even if it takes a long time, and other things.  What can make a difference in children's ability to learn to swim is the level of concentration, effort and attention that the child exerts when learning to swim, and the child made a great effort with a strong motive that can compensate Any deficiency in their natural learning abilities to swim, and the child's previous experiences in dealing with water, in addition to their age, are things that make up the difference in how quickly children learn the skill of swimming.

The importance of learning to hold your breath while swimming

Having the ability to hold your breath while swimming is very important to your safety; As the entry of water into the child's lungs greatly prevents them from supplying oxygen to the child's body and brain, and the child's possession of this ability makes the child feel comfortable while learning and practicing swimming; This is reflected in their level of development in the sport to be good swimmers in the future, and self-control while swimming is the most difficult part of the learning process; Babies can stop swimming when they need air.