Learning to swim is an essential skill for any child, as it allows them to feel safer around water, as well as enabling them to have a lot of fun in the pool or at the beach. There are a few things you can do as a parent to help a child learn to swim, from boosting their confidence to making the pool seem fun.

Help Your Child Feel Safe In The Water

A child will only be able to learn to swim if they feel safe to do so and are not worried about struggling or drowning. They will then be able to leave their comfort zone and learn the techniques that lead to swimming. If your child is nervous, spend some one-on-one time with them at a quiet, calm local pool. Take things slowly, and don't go out of their depth if they don't want to. As the Independent points out, there are also a lot of safety and flotation devices you can buy to help them feel safe, such as flotation vests, armbands, and float backpacks. Choose something that your child will enjoy and that feels fun.

Turn Swimming Into A Family Activity

Your child is much more likely to want to learn swimming if they see it as a fun family outing, so try taking the whole family to the pool and show them how fun it is. Make a trip to the local pool more fun by coordinating with other parents to meet up there, or inviting other family members. You might also want to choose a pool that offers other fun features, such as a wave machine, slides, or organised games. Active Kids offers a range of game ideas you can try yourself, from quiz games to ball games to races. Essentially, when your child sees that the pool is more fun for strong swimmers, they will probably start to develop the techniques needed for swimming.

Get Your Child Swimming Lessons

If you want your child to learn to swim quickly and efficiently, paying for swimming lessons is the way to go. Look around for a local pool that does reasonably priced lessons at a time that suits you. As Royal Life Saving Australia explains, all swimming teachers should be certified by AUSTSWIM, and there are additional qualifications for those who want to teach very small children or children with disabilities. Look at what the lessons teach, and what the focus is. Some may focus on teaching different strokes, some on playing games and having fun while learning to swim, and some on lifesaving skills. Think about what would suit your child, and make an educated choice.

Swimming lessons are one of the quickest ways to help a child learn to swim, but you can also help them by spending a lot of time at the pool playing and practising. If you are patient, your child is sure to become a confident swimmer in time.