Water adjustment for baby swimming

For the first few lessons, simply play in the pool with your child while he becomes accustomed to the water. This is a very important part of the program - if your child is comfortable with water streaming down his face, and happy in the pool, he will be able to easily move on to being submerged under the water in later lessons.

Slowly conditioning your child to feel water on his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth helps him to graduallu adapt to the sensation of the water on his face when he goes underwater. The best way to do this is through play.

A good way to encourage a child - especially a frightened older child - to accept the idea of water flowing over his face is to turn it into a game. Use an absorbent foam ball or sponge to playfully stream water over your child's head, or over another object or person. To start with, use only small amounts of water, then increase the amount over the weeks. 

For a young baby, pour a trickle of water from a sponge over a doll or a puppet, then over your child. Encourage an older baby to sponge water over the doll or puppet, and then over himself. With a more confident baby, place the sponge over your own head and let the water drip over your face, reacting gleefully. Then sponge the water over your baby, or let him do it. 

If your child is not comfortable with water being pouredover his face, begin with pouring games (use any pouring item you have available - children's watering cans, toy waterwheels, cups, kitchen colanders, small buckets, plastic dolls, and spray ministers are ideal) until he is more relaxed in the water, then progress to pouring water on his face. 

Using songs will also help your child adjust to the water environment more easily. Singing a familiar bathtime song helps make the transition from tub to pool a smooth one. Try using ''This is the way we wash our face'' (lyrics here). Beginning at the toes move up the body with the next verses, pouring the water over the body part relevant to the verse you are singing. At the verse for the face, take 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup of water, sing, but before pouring, count ''1, 2, 3'' then pour the water on to the top of the scalp. Immediately redirect your child's attention with a toy or different activity.