What babies can learn according to their age

The purpose of this post is to provide you with a broad idea of the potential that exists at various ages of baby swimmers. The following list is intended to reflect the skills and abilities of children with long term swimming experience who swim with ease and confidence.  Many factors weigh into a child's progress, such as comfort, experience, confidence, and frequency of practice, motivation, innate abilities and the attitude of the parents. Beginners entering a program would need to start with water adjustment and gradually acquire new skills in a sequential learning progression, regardless of age. For example, a 3 year old new to swimming would start with the first level of skills.

Before infants and toddlers are ready and fell comfortable to learn under the surface, it is important to feel comfortable above the surface. Babies need to be relaxed in the swimming pool with their parents and/or instructors and feel at ease in the social setting of a group class. Once the children are adjusted to this new aquatic classroom, parents/instructors will want to slowly and gradually over days and weeks adjust them to water dripped over their forehead. Eventually, they can smoothly pour a small stream of water down their forehead across their face (just several times a session). They should keep it fun and playful, using toys, songs, a washcloth, etc. This will prepare babies for the learned breath holding "cue" during their initial submersions.  The ideal situation would be for parents to initiate this facial water adjustment in the bath tub in the months prior to class (no shampoo and soap). By the time the children are ready to begin class they will have accomplished their first major hurdle in learning to swim like a little “dolphin”, being adjusted to the water.

List of skills according to age

• Some relaxed infants as young as 6 months - 10 months old with proper prerequisites and training can learn to hold their breath on cue when dipped underwater. For those who continue to practice, by 12 months of age some will be able to swim 5 seconds between two adults, swim to, reach for and grab onto the side of the pool, as well as, perform a sitting jump off the side. They will also begin to participate in songs, games and express their joy with smiles. For those families whose circumstances do not allow adequate practice time to reach the 5 second swim, familiarizing your child with the water at young ages sets a positive foundation for lessons when they are older.
• Some toddlers as young as 19 months - 24 months old once they have accomplished the above skills with proper prerequisites and training can begin to learn to jump off the side of the pool, turn around and swim back to the side. For those who continue to practice, by the age of 25 months old, a great spurt in endurance and kicking ability can occur.
• Some experienced toddlers by the age of 28 months - 36 months can begin to learn to recover up for a breath. However, teaching this skill too young can create vertical “water walkers.”  Just wait until your swimmers begin to self-initiate this skill and have developed a strong flutter kick before you introduce it.
• Some seasoned 36 month - 4 year olds will begin to back float. As the 4th birthday approaches, more children will accept the back float. Experienced 3 1/2 year olds will flip from front to back and vice versa. The vast majority of infants and toddlers are not comfortable on their backs until at least 3 years old. Children love swimming under the surface at this age.

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