Bath Time Practice Tips

Get ready for summer swimming lessons by practicing now! Bath time can be a wonderful time to get your little one more comfortable in the water. Here are a few tips and ideas:

BREATH-HOLDING

  • 1st phase: DO practice pouring clean water on their heads and NOT shielding their face or wiping their eyes. Prompt them to say “MMMM…” while you pour water over their head, like they would while holding their breath, and teach them to blink away the water. We teach that eyelashes are like windshield wipers to blink the water away.

  • When you’re rinsing out shampoo, we recommend having kids lean their head back so that they don’t associate water on their face with the sting that even “tear-free” shampoo can sometimes cause.

  • 2nd phase: Have your child lay on their belly and put their face fully in the water. Do NOT emphasize blowing bubbles, but just have them close their lips and they can say “MMM...”

FLOATING

  • Practice back floating by having your child lay down in shallow water while getting their ears wet. See if they can stay laying down while you sing a short song (ABC’s, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, etc.)

IF THEY ARE RESISTANT

  • If your child is resistant to having water in their face, make it a game! Let them dump water on you (or a willing sibling, baby doll, etc.) and then take turns doing it to them. Distract immediately afterward by quickly asking them to do it to you again and laughing. :) “Dump it on me! Dump it on me now!” Keep it upbeat with lots of high fives and alternating between that and something else they like to do.

  • Offer only options you are okay with. Do not say, “Do you want to hold your breath?” but instead say, “It’s time to practice holding your breath! Should we do it to you or the baby doll first?” or “Should we do it two times or three times?”

  • As lessons get closer, especially if your child seems particularly reluctant in the water, take 2-3 baths a day.

Make it fun!

Use color bath bombs or let them bring a toy they don’t normally have in the bath.

  • Let your child pretend to be the swim teacher with a doll in the bath with them.

Summer Swimming LessonsCourtney Rogersswimming lessons, bath time, practice, tips