There are many ways we can move through water and children will experiment in differently, from how it feels and what they know and see others doing.
One of the most beneficial skills for children to learn is how to paddle with their hands through the water. Some children will know how to catch the water naturally and others will need to be encouraged how to feel the water as they pull their hand through.
The most important benefit in learning “dog paddle” is that the stronger children develop their pull the sooner they will be able to lift their head above the water to take a breath whilst swimming, which as we all know is very important!!
Some tips to encourage good pull for your child
* Don’
• Tell your child to look at their
?paddle hands?
• When using flotation, I recommend a back bubble firmly strapped around the hips to encourage the need for children to use their hands to maintain their head above the water.
As with all skills the more time spent practicing the better children will get, so spend time in the water as a family and I guarantee you will see your child improve and enjoy learning much more than those who have only half an hour a week at their swimming lesson.
About the author
Sasha arrived in Australia from Europe at 4 years of age and started swimming at 5 years of age – a little late, by her own admission! Having conquered the dog paddle she went on to win NSW State medals in all four strokes; her best being Gold in the 100 metre butterfly at the age of 10. The Olympics became her dream, although unfortunately a variety of health factors ended the dream at 13.
Sasha returned to the pool 10 years later staring into the eyes of young toddlers wanting to learn how to swim. She has since worked for nearly 10 years as a swim teacher teaching infants, children & adults to swim, teaching junior stroke development and squads. She now runs her own ?In The Deep? Swim School in Sydney, looking after 250 children in the area.
Her passion is giving children skills to enjoy the water safely & skilfully and within that, to gain the confidence to succeed through all of life’s challenges.
Sasha can be contacted by clicking here.
Read more from Sasha Hanic