Swim Fun for Tots!

It’s not only an important skill to learn, it’s also a significant step in a child’s development, explains early childhood educator Gloria Marquez of Little Presidents Learning Palace (LPLP) in San Miguel, Manila.

Learning how to swim need not be a dreadful task, if you break it down into simple and fun steps and arm yourself with techniques. Sandra Co, vice-president of LPLP explains, “Our Early Childhood Swimming Program aims to help the child be confident and sociable, and of course, strong and healthy.” Through fun games and structured water play, budding swimmers also learn about teamwork and cooperation.

“The goal is to make them feel good about swimming for them to learn naturally,” she adds.


STEP 1: Meet and greet
The first step is to guide your tot in getting accustomed to the water, says Marquez. Taking a shower is actually the first step, she says. After getting them wet, warm-up exercises like bending and jumping in place prepare young tots for an energy-filled swim date. Some tots will naturally brave the water without any prodding; some will be typically fearful and would take a longer time to even sit on the edge of the pool. Either way, the key is to encourage them to play with water.

STEP 2: Playing on the Steps
Holding your little one by the hand as you both step into the pool is an important trust-builder. Let her sit down on the step area and play by splashing the water for instance or maybe flapping her legs and feet underwater. Give her a toy if that makes it more fun for her. “When kids see that the other kids are having fun, they realize that the water is safe and fun,” Marquez observes. “Sooner or later,” she adds, “the once fearful tots begin to tread the water without anyone holding them anymore.”

Click here to learn more steps in helping making swimming a fun experience for your child.

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Read on to learn more steps in helping making swimming a fun experience for your child.

STEP 3: Sailing away
Marquez suggests using as many swimming toys as possible when teaching little tots how to swim. “Ayaw natin na nabibigla o natatakot ang bata, so we think of as many creative ways to reinforce the children’s interest in the water and in swimming,” she opines. LPLP head swim instructor Ernest Ungoco uses inflatable kiddie boats to kindle his young students’ interest in the water. He lets them take a ride in the boats and allows them to reach out and splash the water. “If the coach sees that the child is already at ease in the pool, he shifts to another level of instruction,” adds Co.

STEP 4: Bubble fun
This game is anything but trivial. Blowing bubbles underwater lets kids practice deep breathing, while encouraging them to dip their face underwater, which can be very scary for little tots. Always begin with a countdown. Have them take a deep breath and close their mouths. Have your child lower only her nose and mouth under the water. Then prod her to exhale through her nose.

STEP 5: Play “throw and seek”
Ungoco lets his students throw plastic balls and other toys into the water first. Then he prods them to go and retrieve the ball. Once he gets them to soak, he throws in toys that sink and persuades his students to look for the toy underwater and get them. The goal is to have them put their face (and eventually their whole head) underwater, coaching them to close their mouths and open their eyes as they do so.

STEP 6: Kick, kick, kick!
Let your child put her arms around you and start walking backward, guiding her legs as you do so. Then ask her to “kick, kick, kick,” making sure she keeps her feet underwater. Another way is to let your tot hang onto the side of the pool, letting her body float behind her. Guide her by holding her belly to support her lower body. Practice with her head out of the water and under water; observe whichever is more comfortable. Let children use swim boards when they are ready to move around the pool. ?


SOURCES:
•    Gloria Marquez, early childhood educator and day care supervisor
•    Sandra Co, vice president; Ernest Ungoco, head swimming instructor, Little Presidents Learning Palace, J.P. Laurel cor. Matienza Sts., San Miguel, Manila, Tel. (02)735-5757, (02)735-3535, (02)733-4494


Photographed by Erwin Obcemea Shot on location at P Colegio de San Agustin
Special thanks to Aqualogic Swim Co.’s swim instructors and students