Why rushing Wave 2 is a problem…
Pushing a child through Wave 2 too quickly can result in fear or reluctance to try more complex skills in future waves. At this stage, it’s vital that your child feels comfortable and safe in the water, and rushing could mean they miss out on mastering essential basics like floating or breathing control. Without these foundations, they may struggle in later waves, where more advanced coordination and stamina are required. Below is a breakdown of the skills your child will learn, along with coaching points to help you guide them.
1. Participate in a Discussion and Answer Questions about Water Safety
Participate in a group discussion and answer questions about the pool and lesson rules.
Parent Tips:
- Ask questions: Encourage your child to think about pool safety. Ask them what might be dangerous around water.
- Use examples: Point out real-life scenarios to help them understand why pool rules are important.
- Positive reinforcement: Praise your child for answering questions or showing interest in pool safety.
2. Without Goggles, Jump into the Water (At Least 1 Metre Deep) and Exit Safely
Jump into the water from poolside without wearing goggles, return to the side of the pool, and get out without assistance.
Parent Tips:
- Start shallow: If your child is hesitant, start in shallow water before progressing to deeper jumps.
- Practice exiting: Make exiting the pool part of the fun. Let them race to climb out and encourage strong arm and leg movements.
- No rushing: Take it slow if they are nervous about jumping in without goggles. Offer to hold hands as they jump and don’t force them in if they don’t feel ready. Confidence comes with time.
3. Float on the Front
Float on the front without assistance or swimming aids for at least 5 seconds. Move from the front to a standing or vertical position in the water.
Parent Tips:
- Hands extended: Encourage them to keep their arms extended to help with balance and stability.
- Standing transition: Teach them to slowly bring their knees up and push down with their hands to stand.
4. Float on the Back
Float on the back without assistance or swimming aids for at least 5 seconds. Move from the back to a standing or vertical position in the water.
Parent Tips:
- Look at the sky/ceiling: Encourage your child to keep their head back and look up to keep their face clear of the water, this will help them with the next tip…
- Tummy up: Remind them to push their tummy up to stay balanced and floating.
- Controlled transition: Teach them to bend their knees slowly and roll to the side when they’re ready to stand.
5. Kick for 5 Metres, Face in Water, Blowing Bubbles 4 Times
Using a swimming aid and kicking, put the face in the water and blow bubbles 4 times while moving 5 metres.
Parent Tips:
- Blow bubbles: Get them used to exhaling underwater by practicing blowing bubbles in the bath or shallow water. Suggesting they “talk to the fishies” by blowing bubbles can help their imagination remove any fear.
- Strong kicks: Encourage straight legs and kicking from the hips for stronger propulsion.
6. Push and Glide on the Front with Arms Extended and Face in the Water
On the front, push off from the wall with the face in the water and glide in a streamlined body position with arms extended out in front.
Parent Tips:
- Streamline arms: Show your child how to keep their arms tight by their ears to reduce drag.
- Powerful push: Encourage a strong push-off from the wall to help them glide longer.
- Head down: Make sure they’re looking down at the bottom of the pool to maintain a straight, streamlined body position.
7. Push and Glide on the Back
On the back, push off from the wall and hold a glide position.
Parent Tips:
- Head back, eyes up: Encourage your child to keep their head still, looking up at the sky or ceiling.
- Tummy up: Remind them to push their tummy up to maintain a good floating position.
- Strong push-off: Emphasise the importance of a strong push to help them glide smoothly.
8. Swim 5 Metres Frontcrawl
Swim on the front for 5 metres without swimming aids, attempting alternating overwater arm recovery and alternating leg action.
Parent Tips:
- Focus on arms: Encourage big, alternating arm movements to clear the water.
- Kick from the hips: Make sure your child kicks from the hips, keeping their legs straight but relaxed. Children often have very bendy knees and kick like they’re riding a bike which takes a lot of wasted effort!
- Practice breathing: Try turning the head to the side for breathing while keeping the body straight.
9. Swim 5 Metres Backstroke
Swim on the back for 5 metres without swimming aids, attempting alternating overwater arm recovery and alternating leg action.
Parent Tips:
- Eyes on the ceiling: Encourage your child to look straight up to help with body alignment.
- Tummy up: Remind them to push their tummy up to stay afloat and balanced.
- Smooth arm recovery: Teach them to keep their arms straight and alternate in a controlled, smooth motion.
10. Swim 5 Metres Breaststroke or Butterfly
Swim on the front for 5 metres without swimming aids, using a simultaneous (breaststroke or butterfly) arm and leg action. Both strokes should be taught by the instructor.
Parent Tips:
- For Breaststroke: Focus on “pull, breathe, kick, glide.” Help them understand the timing by breaking down the movements.
- For Butterfly: Encourage small dolphin kicks while keeping their arms in sync with the body’s undulation.
- Short bursts: Practise short, controlled bursts of swimming to build coordination.
11. Perform a 360° Roll
From floating on the back, rotate to floating on the front and then return to floating on the back in one motion, completing a 360° roll (either as a log roll or horizontal roll) and regain a vertical position.
Parent Tips:
- Practice on land: Try rolling on a mat or carpet to help your child understand the motion before taking it into the water.
- Arms close to body: Keep the arms close to the body to make rolling easier and more controlled.
- Breathe calmly: Remind them to take slow, steady breaths during the roll.
12. Scull Head First on the Back for 5 Metres (With Aids if Needed)
Lie on the back with arms down by the sides and use the hands (not arms) to move head first for 5 metres. Use swimming aids if needed.
Parent Tips:
- Relaxed hands: Encourage your child to use a relaxed but firm motion with their hands to “scoop” the water.
- Keep still: The body should remain as still as possible, with the focus on hand movements.
- Small, quick movements: Sculling requires small, fast hand motions for the best results. I often tell children to imagine they have tiny fishy fins!
Wave 2 is all about helping your child build water confidence and develop basic swimming skills that will be the foundation for future waves. Mastering simple tasks like floating, kicking, and jumping into the water will give your child the skills they need to progress safely. Taking the time to ensure they are comfortable with these basics will build a sense of security and fun in the water, making future learning easier. Remember, it’s important to let them move at their own pace—rushing through this stage may lead to frustration when more complex skills are introduced later. Patience and positive reinforcement are key to ensuring your child enjoys swimming and develops the confidence to thrive in the next wave.
