Balloon Blowing: Blow up a balloon and have your child practice blowing and holding their breath while they play with the balloon.
Straw Blowing: Give your child a straw and have them blow bubbles into a cup of water. This exercise can help improve their ability to control their breath.
Mouth and Nose Control: Have your child practice blowing air out of their mouth while keeping their nose closed. Then have them do the opposite, blowing air out of their nose while keeping their mouth closed.
Deep Breathing: Encourage your child to take deep breaths and blow out slowly. This can help them improve their breath control and build their lung capacity.
Humming: Have your child hum a tune or blow out air to make a noise. This exercise helps them focus on their breath and improve their breath control.
Pretend Blowing: Have your child pretend to blow out candles or bubbles. This exercise helps them focus on blowing out air and improving their breath control.

By practising these exercises regularly, your child can improve their breath control and develop the skills they need for safe and comfortable swimming.

Be Patient: Help your child feel comfortable and safe in the water by going at their pace. Don’t push them to do more than they are ready for and provide plenty of praise and encouragement along the way.
Positive Reinforcement: Reward your child for trying new things in the water and for their progress. This will help build their confidence and encourage them to continue.
Start Slowly: Introduce your child to the water gradually. Start with shallow water, such as a bathtub or basin, and gradually move to deeper water.
Familiar Objects: Provide your child with familiar objects, such as toys or floaties, to help them feel more comfortable in the water.
Get Them Used to the Sensations: Help your child get used to the sensation of water on their face, ears, and hair. Start by splashing water on their arms and legs and gradually work up to their face.
Play Games: Make learning to swim fun by playing games in the water. Have races, play catch, or use pool noodles or other toys.
Make it a Bonding Experience: Swimming lessons can be a bonding experience for parents and their children. Participate in lessons together and have fun in the water.
Professional Help: Consider enrolling your child in swim lessons with a professional instructor. This can help build their confidence and skills in a structured and supportive environment.

With patience, positive reinforcement, and a gradual introduction, you can help your child overcome their fear of the water and develop a lifelong love of swimming.

There are numerous factors which could be contributing to your little one not progressing with their swim skills. Firstly, it could be the day or time of their lesson, external factors can have an impact on your little ones focus during lessons. Try a different day or time & see if it has an impact. 

Next, it could be the students in their class or their teacher, try switching up the routine and see if that changes anything. Alternatively, they may actually be bored in their current level & need that next push. Speak with the team & see if they can try the next level or more advanced skills. 

Also, it may be worthwhile to evaluate their consistency of attendance. Have they been coming at the same time & day each week with the same teacher? Potentially, their lack of routine could be detrimental to their acquisition of swim skills.   

Further, maybe they are a little stuck on a particular skill and need some individual attention. Chat with the team about some options for one on one lessons even if its for a few weeks. 

Finally, & while we don’t recommend this lightly potentially a small break away from structured lessons will be of benefit. That being said, we highly suggest you speak with our Chief Flipper first to make sure this is the right call for your little one. But in this instance, supplement their lessons with unstructured play & regular exposure to water (local pools, home pools, bath time & the ocean).

As a parent what you do before, during and after swim lessons has a significant impact on your child & their swimming experience. Firstly, at every chance you must try to make the experience as positive as possible. Smile, be excited to go to swim lessons each week with your child. Let them know “it’s swim lesson day today”. Acknowledge you are excited to watch them have fun in the water during their lesson. Have their equipment prepared in advance and arrive with time to spare before the lesson. 

During the lesson, be sure to watch and acknowledge their small or large wins. If they put their face in for the first time, did their big arms or kicks with confidence or managed to pull themselves out of the water themselves, give them a big smile, a thumbs up and a nice work. Take notice of a special moment you noticed for after. 

Finally, after lessons make sure they have a towel at the ready, warm clothes where needed and depending on your vibes a treat like an ice block or a sticker from the team. Speak about that special moment in the car ride home, say you are proud of them and are keen to see their swim skills next week. Fundamentally, it’s about making them enjoy the entire experience.

Swimming is a complex activity that requires the coordination of different body parts, breath control, and spatial awareness. These elements stimulate various parts of the brain and enhance cognitive functioning. Moreover, swimming provides an environment for children to learn and develop important life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. Here are some of the cognitive benefits of taking your child to swim lessons:

Improved Brain Functioning:

Swimming involves several cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and processing speed. As children learn to swim, their brains become more efficient in processing information, resulting in improved cognitive functioning. According to a study published in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, children who participate in regular swimming lessons perform better in tasks that require attention, memory, and processing speed.

Enhanced Spatial Awareness:

Swimming requires a great deal of spatial awareness, as children must navigate through the water while maintaining proper body position and orientation. This type of activity stimulates the brain’s parietal lobe, which is responsible for spatial awareness, and results in improved spatial skills. According to a study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, children who participate in swimming lessons show significant improvement in spatial skills compared to non-swimmers.

Improved Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:

Swimming is a complex activity that requires problem-solving and decision-making skills. For example, children must decide how to navigate through the water to avoid obstacles, adjust their body position to maintain buoyancy, and make quick decisions in case of an emergency. These skills not only improve their performance in the water but also translate to other areas of life, such as academics and social interactions.

Increased Confidence and Self-Esteem:

Swimming provides a sense of accomplishment and mastery, which boosts children’s confidence and self-esteem. As children learn new skills and overcome challenges, they develop a sense of competence and autonomy that translates to other areas of life. Moreover, swimming provides a safe and supportive environment for children to take risks and push themselves outside their comfort zone, resulting in increased confidence and self-esteem.

In conclusion, taking your child to swim lessons provides numerous cognitive benefits that contribute to their overall development and well-being. Swimming enhances brain functioning, spatial awareness, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, and boosts confidence and self-esteem. As a parent, you can encourage your child’s cognitive development by enrolling them in regular swim lessons and supporting their progress in the water. So, dive in and make swimming a part of your child’s cognitive development journey!