Swimming

Are there any particular games you play with kids when they are first learning to swim?

Jewels: The Game That Teaches Kids to Swim

Okay, so are there any particular games with kids when they are first learning how to swim? So my number one game that I play with every single child when they start learning how to swim, I actually have them right here, are jewels. And jewels are just little glass beads that I found a million years ago and they are an equalizer no matter what. Oops. So I found that these jewels are an absolute equalizer no matter what age a child is, if they are under a year old or if they are 16 years old, that everybody loves jewels. What I love about them is it teaches kids how to hold their breath. So the really young ones, they have to put their face in the water to pick them up. They have to bend down, they have to start working on holding their breath and it also works on their fine motor skills as well, on their gross motor skills and their fine motor skills. And with the older children, so depending on how deep you put them, if you put them like on the steps or if you are putting them in the five or six feet of water, they all learn and they all have to develop different skills depending on where you put them in the water. So no matter what lesson that I teach, every single lesson includes jewels and picking up jewels either from the steps or from the bottom of the pool or something like that. So that's my favorite one. Thanks.

My favorite game for teaching kids how to swim is Jewels, which are glass beads I found. This game teaches kids how to hold their breath and works on fine and gross motor skills. It's great for any age of child, as the difficulty can be adjusted depending on how deep the jewels are placed in the water.

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When it comes to games for kids who are learning how to swim, my go-to game is called jewels. These are small glass beads that I discovered a long time ago, and they work like magic for children of all ages. What's great about jewels is that they teach kids how to hold their breath. Even the little ones have to put their face in the water to pick up the jewels, which helps them practice holding their breath and improves their gross and fine motor skills. For older children, depending on where you place the jewels in the water (on steps or in deeper areas), they have to develop different skills to retrieve them. It doesn't matter what lesson I'm teaching, picking up jewels from various locations in the pool is always part of it. So, jewels are definitely my favorite game for kids learning how to swim.

Any recommended gym programs for swimmers that can be found on the internet?

Discover the Ultimate Online Gym Program for Swimmers!

Hey, good morning. So any recommended gym programs for swimmers that can be found on the internet? So what I'd probably recommend is looking into United States Master Swimming if you're looking for adult swimming. So they have adult learn to swim programs, they have local they have access to a whole database where you can find local like places to swim and groups to swim with that have coached and non-coach sessions. And they also have on their whole database of workouts where you can go log in and you can download a workout from a professional coach that they pay to produce workouts on a weekly basis. And you can download those workouts and bring them to gym and do them yourself. So I hope that helps United States Master Swimming.

I recommend looking into United States Masters Swimming for adult swimming programs. They have a database of local places to swim and groups to join, as well as downloadable workout plans from professional coaches.

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If you're looking for recommended gym programs for swimmers that can be found on the internet, I suggest checking out United States Master Swimming. They offer adult swimming programs, including learn-to-swim programs. They have a database where you can find local swimming groups and facilities that offer both coached and non-coached sessions. Additionally, they provide a database of workouts created by professional coaches. You can log in, download these workouts, and bring them to the gym to follow on your own. It's a great resource for swimmers looking for structured training programs. United States Master Swimming is definitely worth exploring for online gym programs catered to swimmers.

How can you make learning to swim more fun for kids?

How to make swimming lessons fun: toys, games, and personalized learning

Okay, so now we're getting into some questions that I really enjoy answering. So how can you make learning to swim more fun for kids? So everything I do is based on games and through play. So we sing songs, we play games, and we fit the lessons to whatever each child's learning style is. So you can see here that every, all the toys are on my deck and I have baskets over there that the kids put the toys in. I have jewels, I have sinking toys, I have floating toys, I have mermaids for the girls, I have Spiderman for the boys, I have sharks for the kids who like to talk about animals, I have Grover and I have Branch and you have to know a lot of names of all these different animals. I have Sebastian and so I make sure that if a kid has a certain thing that they really enjoy, a certain show that they really like, that I will go and I will go get a toy to represent that show to make sure that everyone has access to what they enjoy and we can find a common ground in order to use it. So I have rockets that sink, I have toys that float, I have anything that you can imagine here is I have it just to make sure.

To make learning to swim more fun for kids, I use games and play. I have lots of toys on the deck for them to use and enjoy such as jewels, sinking toys, floating toys, mermaids, Spider-Man, sharks, Grover, branch, Sebastian, rockets, and anything else they can imagine.

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To make learning to swim more fun for kids, I focus on incorporating games and play into the lessons. Singing songs and playing interactive games are key elements. Additionally, I accommodate each child's learning style. On my deck, I have various toys organized in baskets. These include sinking toys, floating toys, jewels, mermaids for girls, Spiderman for boys, and even animals like sharks. If a child has a particular favorite show or character, I make sure to provide a toy representing that show to create a common ground and engage their interest. From rockets that sink to a wide variety of toys, I strive to have everything imaginable to enhance the fun learning experience for kids.

How does teaching kids to swim differ from teaching adults to swim? 

Teaching Kids vs Adults: Relaxation vs Overcoming Fears

Hey, good morning. So the question is a great one. How does teaching children to swim differ from teaching adults? So what the biggest thing for me is actually what I had a parent just actually asked me that this morning is the biggest thing for me is just teaching the parents or teaching the adults how to relax in the water Kids it comes more naturally and so I'm able to teach them Maybe in four to eight lessons how to relax and how to kind of trust their bodies in the water And with an adult you're looking instead of from 48 lessons. You're looking for 48 months It's just a lot of repetitiveness and kind of getting over those fears that the adults have when they are That they've developed over 40 years or 50 years and just slowly getting them to trust you and for them to trust your their bodies in the water and That they can you know swim half the pool or they can you know Take a breath and not choke on the water Simple things like that with the children It's it's more just teaching them how to how to swim through games and through play And I really the program that I teach is I let them I kind of I don't want to say trick them, but I trick them into swimming by playing games with them So that's what I get to do, and I love it

Teaching children to swim is easier than teaching adults, as kids come to it more naturally. With adults, it takes much longer and requires a lot of repetition and patience in order to help them overcome the fears they may have developed over the years. With kids, it's more about playing games and making the process fun.

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Teaching kids to swim differs from teaching adults in a few key ways. One significant difference is that with children, it's more about teaching them through games and play. Children tend to have a natural inclination towards water and can learn to relax and trust their bodies in the water relatively quickly, usually within four to eight lessons. On the other hand, teaching adults to swim requires more time and repetition. Adults often have developed fears and apprehensions about the water over many years, so building trust and helping them overcome those fears takes patience. It may take around 48 months of lessons for an adult to feel comfortable and confident in the water. The focus is on slowly getting adults to trust their bodies, teaching them basic skills like swimming half the pool or taking a breath without choking on water. In contrast, for children, teaching through games and play is an effective way to engage them and make learning enjoyable. The approach involves tricking children into swimming by incorporating fun activities into the lessons. This approach allows for a more playful and interactive experience while still imparting essential swimming skills.

How long does it take for kids to learn to swim on their own?

Unlocking Water Independence: How Long for Kids to Learn to Swim?

Hey, so this is probably one of my favorite questions and ones that I get asked multiple times a day. So how long does it take for kids to learn how to swim on their own? So this is going to be depending on the age of the child. This is going to be dependent on if the kid has a pool at home, if they have access to water at home, or if the lessons are their only access to water. So this definitely varies. But I like to say, I focus on children who are anywhere from one to five years old. I like to tell the parents that I can usually get them pretty independent in about eight lessons. And that does not necessarily teach them how to swim like strokes, like freestyle and backstroke, but that's having them be able to jump into a pool, turn around and get back to the wall safely. Now it's going to be a little bit more if they're closer to the one to two year range, it's going to be probably closer to 16 lessons. And if they're like four or five, it might be like four lessons. So but the average I like to say is about eight lessons to get a kid safe in the water. But to get a kid to learn how to swim, now you're looking at the definition of swimming, which kind of changes within each parent and each person. So that's a little bit different.

It depends on the age of the child, but usually 8 lessons is sufficient to get a kid safe in the water.

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The time it takes for kids to learn to swim on their own varies depending on factors such as the child's age and access to water. For children aged one to five years old, I typically aim for about eight lessons to make them fairly independent in the water. This means they can jump into a pool, turn around, and safely reach the wall. The number of lessons may increase if they are younger (around 16 lessons for one to two-year-olds) or decrease if they are older (around four lessons for four to five-year-olds). However, it's important to note that this is an average estimate and individual definitions of swimming may differ among parents and individuals.

How can parents reduce their own anxiety about their child's progression in swimming?

Reduce Parental Anxiety in Child's Swimming Progression

Okay, so how can parents reduce their own anxiety about child's progression in swimming? So one, I just make sure that you have a well-bedded program. And by having a well-bedded program, then you know and you can trust the process that's going on. Also, having instructors that are older and that maybe been doing it for a while or that have a background in child development is a great way of doing it. I actually hire instructors that are either teachers themselves or have a background in special needs, special needs development or any type of OT or specialty therapies. And they come and they work for me part-time and it's a great knowledge base and skill set for them to have to add to their repertoire while they're working for me. So it's a win-win. So anything like that is a great way if you vet a program and that has any type of additional programs that they're doing on the side with their instructors is a great way to help with that parent's anxiety.

To reduce parents' anxiety about their child's swimming progression, they should make sure to find a well-vetted program with instructors who have a background in child development or special needs. They should also look for programs that offer additional support and resources from the directors.

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To reduce their own anxiety about their child's progression in swimming, parents can take a few steps. First, it's important to ensure that they have chosen a well-established program. This allows parents to trust the process and have confidence in the program's methods. Additionally, having instructors who are experienced and knowledgeable can help alleviate concerns. Hiring instructors who have backgrounds in child development, special needs, occupational therapy, or other relevant specialties can provide a valuable skill set and knowledge base. This creates a win-win situation as instructors gain additional expertise while working with the program. By thoroughly vetting programs and considering any additional programs or qualifications offered by instructors, parents can address their anxieties and feel more assured about their child's swimming progression.

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Jillian Wilkins has been involved in the swimming world since 1991. She was an instructor for 16 years, competed for Team Orlando and Trinity Aquatic Team, was a two-time Florida state champion in the breaststroke events and earned NCAA All-American Honors in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke at the University of Maryland. She founded Lane 4 Swim School in 2005, produces sporting events focused on the athlete experience and is focused on creating the best swimming program available to Central Florida parents.