How to Teach a Baby to Swim? [8 Practical Steps]

Like adults, staying healthy and fit is essential for kids too. For this, the best way is to teach your kid how to swim. However, one of the major issues, in this case, is introducing the baby to swimming and how to teach a baby to swim. It is something that, as parents, most of us want, but due to lack of experience, we are unable to exercise it well.

So, if you’re one of those who want to teach their kid how to swim and how to enjoy their time in the swimming pool, this is the draft to follow. Here we’ll introduce you to some of the best techniques that you can apply to teach your kid the art of swimming.

So, follow this article to the end, and it will guide you about some of the best ways to school your kid on everything about swimming.

Benefits of teaching swimming to young child

Like other physical exercises, swimming also brings a lot of benefits. However, if we talk about some big benefits, it includes better physical health, stamina development, good growth, stable health, and above all, it keeps your kid active all day.

Along with it, this must not go without saying that swimming also helps to improve the sleep cycle of your kid. All in all, there exist uncountable benefits of swimming that every parent would like for their kids.

Eight practical steps to teach your baby to swim

Teaching swimming to your newborn is not a hard nut to crack. What you need are some techniques, a pool or a bathtub and a kid.

1. Make your baby comfortable around the pool

The first thing that you need to do is make your kid comfortable around the pool or the bathtub. What most of the parents do is they directly take their kids to the pool, leading the kid to cry. You need to learn that kids do not expect a sudden change in their lives.

So what you need to do is first take your kid to the pool and let them observe the environment. It would help if you could swim in front of your kid. So, before doing anything else, make sure that your kid is comfortable around the pool.

2. Take your baby with you into the pool

Now once you have practiced the above method, it’s time to take the kid to the pool. For this, you need to make sure that the water is neither too cold nor hot. You will have to set the water temperature as per the kid.

After doing this, take the kid with you into the pool and observe their behavior. If the kid looks comfortable, but if they look tense, do not force them into the pool. It might take you some attempts to make your kid comfortable in the pool. Remember that you will not force the kid into the pool.

3. Pour some water over your baby

Once your baby is comfortable in the pool, it’s time to pour some water on its head. It is one of the best techniques to let kids have the feel of water. When water is poured onto the head of the kid, they learn to synchronize their breather according to the water.

This is important because when your kid is underwater, they will be able to control their breathing even at a young age. So, practice this thing, and if you are confident, then you can give your kid a quick dip. However, remember that you need to be confident and experienced for this step.

4. Support the baby with your palms: The first position

After the first three steps, you will have to teach your kid how to swim. For this, you need to take help from your hands. First of all, straighten your hands and ensure that the thumbs are above your shoulders.

Now take your hands into your hand while their tummy faces the poolside. Remember that the baby’s face will remain above water. Now roam into the pool and keep talking with the kid like you normally do. Don’t let the kid feel uncomfortable at any stage. Because feeling uncomfortable in the pool at this age may instill fear into their mind.

5. Teach your baby to hold on: A great idea

Apart from swimming into the pool, the most crucial step while learning swimming is to teach the kid to hold on. It is something that they must learn. So, for this, you need to take your kid into your lap while staying in the pool.

Now take the kid to the edge of the pool and then put their hand on the surface. After it, place your hands on your hands and support them with your leg into the pool. Now whisper in their ears to hold on, and they will gradually learn this technique. Remember that you need to do it every time you take your kid to the pool.

6. The kicking motion: Kick the legs

Here comes the most important exercise that parents need to teach to your kid. We all know that kicking is one of the most important steps while learning how to swim. Therefore, you need to take your kid to shallow water. You can even use a bathtub for this.

Let your kid sit in the bathtub or in the shallow water of any pool. After that, support your kid and grab their feet. Now, you need to move your kid’s leg in a cyclic pattern. Repeat this cycle unless your kid starts doing it on their own in the pool. This is what helps your kid stay above water in the pool. Also it’s good body exercise too.

7. The repeated splashing technique: A great teaching method

Now, if your kid has learned all other things, it is high time to teach them splashing. For this, you will have to take your kid into your hands. After it, put their body till their neck into the water and take half of it out quickly. Do this while moving your kid diagonally.

It is something that would help your kid to develop muscles and learn to swim in all directions.

8. Let your baby float on the back

Once all of the steps are done finely, we assure you that your kid will be able to swim for a while in the pool. Now the last step is to teach them to swim on their back. For this, you will have to take your kid to shallow water or take a bathtub, fill it a bit and lay your kid on their back.

Your kid already had all the swim lessons in the pool, so they will try to move. Let them move as they want to and slowly increase the water level of the pool. This is how you will learn how to teach a baby to swim. It is a one of the great techniques to help your kid learn swimming at early stages.

Note: We suggest that if you are not confident about your baby’s swimming lessons, consult an expert about all of the lessons and teaching patterns as parents.

Conclusion

How to teach a baby to swim is still a difficult task for some parents. Some fear putting their kids into the water, and others do not know how to swim. So, for such people, we crafted this article. Here, you have been introduced to some of the swim lessons and most efficient ways to teach your kid how to swim. However, if you still feel confused, let us know.