How to Teach Children to Go Underwater

Swimming skills will serve your child throughout his entire life. Because of common drowning risks, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children age 4 and older learn to swim. The AAP also urges parents to consider swim lessons for children between age 1 and 4 if exposure to water is high and if youngsters have the physical abilities to learn the skills. Learning to go underwater is usually one of the first hurdles in learning how to swim.

Instructions

    • 1

      Help your child gain familiarity in the water by spending relaxed time together in the water, playing, talking and exploring. Strive to keep this playtime enjoyable and free of anxiety for your youngster. As you play, encourage your child to get her face wet so she becomes comfortable with water on her face. When your child feels comfortable with water on her face, she will be ready to go underwater, asserts professional swim instructor Miss Bea.

    • 2

      Blow bubbles together to introduce your child to the concept of placing part of his face under the water. As he learns how to place his mouth under the surface of the water, explain to him that you always take a breath of air and then blow out under the water. Remind him not to try to breathe water into his lungs.

    • 3

      Demonstrate for your child how to hold your breath, place your head under water and blow bubbles. Count to three, submerge your head, blow bubbles for a few seconds and then come up out of the water. Wipe your face off and show your child how simple it is to go underwater.

    • 4

      Tell your child that you and she are going to go underwater as a team, together. Tell her that you are going to count to three, you are both going to take a deep breath and go under water to blow bubbles and then you are going to come up together. Reassure your child that you will hold onto her at all times and that you will go underwater together.

    • 5

      Establish eye contact with your little one while you hold him facing you. Once he focuses on you, count, ̶0;One, two, three̶1; and then lower both of you under the water. While under the water for about 1 second, blow bubbles. Rise out of the water together.

    • 6

      Smile at your child to show her how relaxed and easy it was. Ignore any sputtering and coughing from your youngster and focus on the success of going underwater together. It̵7;s okay if your little one wants to wipe the water out of her eyes as she recovers.

    • 7

      Repeat the process of going underwater several times to help your youngster get more comfortable with the process. Eventually, with practice, he will progress to the point of holding his breath and going underwater independently.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Ice Skating with Your Kids 101
      Families that play together stay together, or at least that’s how the saying goes. If you take some time to have fun together, it can reduce stress nd tension among family members. Choose an activity everyone can enjoy.Have you considered the health
    • Skin Abscess In Children: Signs, Causes, Treatment And Home Care
      Skin abscess in children is a condition where a pocket of pus develops under the skin, causing a red, tender, and swollen boil. Abscesses form when the immune system tries to flush infection-causing germs, such as bacteria, from the body. Children ar
    • How to Grow More if You Are a 14-Year-Old Male
      Very few 14-year-old boys think theyre big enough and strong enough because they cant influence the biggest factor that determines size and strength: simple genetics. Still, there are a number of things that a 14-year-old boy can do to grow bigger an