We are affiliated with Swim England and we run their programme and award scheme to find out more about this visit Swim England Learn to Swim Programme | An introduction (swimming.org)
Step 1 – Confidence
- Developing confidence
- The relationship between the child and the instructor
Developing confidence in children during swimming lessons is crucial to their progress and enjoyment of the sport. Here are some strategies we use to foster confidence:
- Positive Reinforcement: We provide constant encouragement and positive feedback to children when they make progress or demonstrate improvement in their swimming skills. Recognizing their efforts and achievements helps boost their confidence.
- Small Steps and Achievable Goals: We break down swimming skills into smaller, manageable steps. By setting achievable goals for each lesson, children can experience success and build confidence as they accomplish these milestones.
- Individualized Attention: Our instructors pay close attention to each child’s needs and abilities. By providing personalized guidance and support, children feel valued and supported, which enhances their confidence in the water.
- Gradual Progression: We follow a gradual progression in teaching new skills. Starting with basic techniques and gradually building on them gives children a sense of mastery and confidence as they see their progress over time.
- Safe and Supportive Environment: We create a safe and supportive environment where children feel comfortable taking risks and trying new things. By ensuring their physical safety and emotional well-being, we help build their confidence in the water.
- Fun and Engaging Activities: We incorporate fun and engaging activities into our swimming lessons to make the learning process enjoyable. When children have fun while swimming, they are more likely to feel confident and motivated to continue improving.
- Celebrating Achievements: We celebrate children’s achievements, no matter how small, to acknowledge their progress and boost their confidence. This can be done through certificates, awards, or simply verbal recognition.
- Building Trust: We focus on building trust between the instructor and the child. By establishing a strong rapport and fostering a trusting relationship, children feel more confident in taking instructions and trying new skills.
By implementing these strategies, we aim to create a positive and empowering learning environment that helps children develop confidence not only in swimming but also in their overall abilities.
Step 2 – Technique
Once a child is confident in the water we are then able to develop their swimming abilities and teach various strokes and techniques. During our swimming lessons for children, we focus on teaching various techniques to help them become proficient swimmers. Some of the techniques we focus on include:
- Floating: We teach children how to float on their back and front, which helps them relax and conserve energy in the water.
- Kicking: Children learn proper kicking techniques to propel themselves through the water. This includes flutter kicking for freestyle and backstroke, as well as dolphin kicking for butterfly stroke.
- Arm Strokes: We teach children the correct arm strokes for different swimming styles. This includes freestyle (front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly stroke. Each stroke is broken down into components to ensure children learn the proper technique.
- Breathing: Children learn how to coordinate their breathing with their swimming strokes. They practice taking breaths to the side during freestyle and backstroke, and learn the timing of breaths during breaststroke and butterfly stroke.
- Diving: As children progress, we introduce diving techniques. They learn how to dive safely and efficiently from the pool edge or starting blocks.
- Treading Water: Children learn how to tread water, which is an essential skill for safety and survival in the water. They learn different techniques to stay afloat without using their arms.
- Turns and Transitions: Children learn how to perform turns and transitions between different swimming strokes, such as flip turns for freestyle and backstroke, and open turns for breaststroke and butterfly stroke.
Our instructors provide step-by-step guidance and individualized attention to ensure children understand and practice these techniques effectively. Through consistent practice and reinforcement, children develop the necessary skills to become confident and competent swimmers.