“In Finnish swimming teacher training, for example, it was said that a child can only learn to swim at the age of about 5–7 years. I later found this to be wrong myself, and my own children learned to swim at the age of four with lifeguard certification near me.
Stay calm
No matter how old a child is, the number one rule is to stay calm.
“A child will pull water into their nose, and it can’t usually be avoided even if it goes to life. The most important thing is to stay encouraging and moderate so that the child learns that this is not the end of the world, ”Perendi reminds.
All exercises are done playfully, childishly, but also encouraging towards the new. The more a child gets to be in the water, the easier it is for him to relax and learn.
Do not use floats
Perendi emphasizes that the child does not use floats in normal water exercises. This way, the water does not give him a “wrong picture” - the child quickly learns how it feels to be underwater and how much force is required to reach the surface.
“Lockpick is an excellent swimming exercise from toddler age, as it can be used to train in the right swimming position both back and chest. Hand-held floats, on the other hand, interfere with the position and create a misconception about the carrying capacity of the water, ”says Perendi.
Support the baby in an upright position. Count in a calm voice for 1–2–3, after which you blow lightly on the baby's face and at the same time drain the water from his own palm on his face, for example: over his forehead, along the nose. This triggers the diving reflex with American lifeguard Association Vienna Va.
As you practice together, your baby will learn to associate your voice with the exercise, and prepare for the impending respiratory arrest. This is good groundwork for future swimming and diving training!
Do the exercises at home in the tub and, if possible, in the larger pool of water.
A baby over three months old can already be taken to the swimming pool, so the opportunities for bustling together are expanding! It is worth going for a swim early in the morning, even immediately after the baby swimming groups, when the water is at its warmest and the baby is at its most refreshed. A tired baby should not be swimming.
First, explore the hall as an environment: it is a good idea to explore sounds, lights and noises from a safe lap. Go to the pool together so that in addition to the water, the baby will feel your warm, soothing body.
Exercise 1: Floating in the tub
When bathing your baby at home, put plenty of water in the tub to let your baby feel and feel the water almost all over their body. Help the baby to his back in a relaxed floating position: rest the baby on your arm and support your head well. Make sure that the baby floats supported in the correct position, ie the ears under water.
For example, you can put a face poster, postcard, or the like on the ceiling of your bathroom to encourage your baby to watch. This will help you find the right position.
Exercise 2: Floating in the pool
Now there is more space for floating than in the tub, so practice even more in the right position: lying on the parent's arm, ears in the water, chin slightly upwards - this naturally also brings the pole towards the surface. A good duration for floating is 5-15 seconds.
The baby is naturally very relaxed in the water and learns this quickly. You can sing to him at the same time, and move, rocking your hand in different directions.
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