A 'water safe' child is one who can swim, chooses to enter a water environment in which they are consciously aware that they will be able to manage themselves without fear of danger, being hurt, being dominated or bullied, where they can confidently participate as an individual or within a group and have fun.
One who can swim by choice on top of the water with their faces
in the water, swim under the water and swim with confidence on the back
without assistance or aids of any kind. In brief a child who knows their
limits and boundaries in and around water.
Introduction
By the age of four we are considered (without early motor stimulation)
to be able to listen, talk, walk, run, be co-ordinated, concentrate, have
the power of reasoning, be physically balanced, emotionally developed,
integrate socially and be ready for Pre-School. It takes four years to
reach this level of development. Therefore is it possible to learn to
swim confidently and safely in less than eight to twelve months when most
of these skills are required to learn to swim? 
WE LEARN TO SWIM primarily to
- be safe in and around water
- develop physically, mentally, emotionally
- learn Life Skills.
Two distinct 'feelings' a human being experiences consciously
when immerged in water is that of 'pure pleasure' and that of 'suffocation'
by it.
We can be exposed to water and learning to swim from the day we are born.
A Swimming Teaching Specialist of infants will be able to guide you in
the basic water skills to begin physical stimulation of movement which
you can safely use during Bath time.
It is often said that children who learn to swim in warm water
will not swim in cold water. Children who are self-confident in water,
know their limits in and around water will want to swim.
Learning to swim at any age should be based on stimulation and encouragement
according to their age, ability, inability, disability and the personality
of the child rather than under pressure. Water Safety throughout the year
is the prime objective not the 'swimming style'
The education of swimming and water safety becomes a lifetime activity creating interest in diversified water sport e.g. pool diving, ocean diving, snorkelling, nippers, life saving, body boarding, knee boarding, surfing, underwater hockey, water polo, synchronised swimming, sailing, board sailing, kayaking, kite boarding etc.
The teacher teaches basic and progressive swimming skills, water
safety awareness,
The coach trains competitive swimming based on the swimming skills learned
from the teacher.
'Little People' are taught by their Parents to survive and to be independent. Learning to swim requires first learning to listen, to concentrate, to remember, to want to survive. Children are taught to look, feel, take instructions, confront and apply themselves to challenges, develop conscious thought of simple movement, walk against the resistance of water, learn to balance, to orientate themselves in their water facility, climb up and down and in and out of water, control their breathing by blowing bubbles out of the mouth and the nose, get used to putting their faces into the water, open their eyes to see where they are swimming to, kick their legs (which muscles must be developed for swimming), move their arms, swim on their backs with confidence, then to combine breathing with co-ordinated limb movement to swim rhythmically.
Able/Special Needs/Disabled/Impaired children are more stimulated by swimming programmes than land based activities. Depending on their ability/disability they can all learn to swim to become mobile in water. In water we are all the same and should be treated equally, play, have fun, be safe. Routine, discipline, challenges, goals and achievements are necessary for all children's development.
Infants and toddlers
Infant and toddler drowning generally occur during the day. They are attracted to the reflection on the water, not the conscious thought, 'there is a puddle, a pool, the dog's water bowl, let's play in it'.
Toddlers who attend swimming lessons from the age of 20 months - two years old will become aware of the dangers of water. Part of the 'terrific twos' is the development of the last conscious emotion 'conscious fear' Therefore there is less chance of an accident in or around water.
Prior to that age infants have no fear of water. Swim children learn the dangers of water. Non-Swim children are not aware of the dangers of water.
'Swim Children' (children who start swimming lessons from 3 - 12 months old) can be stimulated to start learning swimming strokes like crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, sculling, the dolphin action by the age of 2 to 3 years old.
Swim babies, toddlers and children are healthy throughout the year, use up stored energy due to the restriction of their physical boundaries, modern living, not having the freedom to play in big gardens, parks, climb trees etc. These children know how to and want to move and play.
The parent
Immediately a parent decides that their child/children should learn to swim they are taking on a responsibility and commitment which they owe to their child/children for which they are to be admired. Their commitment requires selflessness. However, the rewards are endless.
If parents can take the time to nurture their new born baby into a toddler with love and care teaching them to be independent and capable 'little people' during the first two to three years of their lives, then the same love and care should be applied to taking 'at least' one year during those first three years to make them water safe.
The parent determines the success of the learning programme by taking the child/children to swimming lessons regularly. Children grow and develop day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year. The teacher is there to educate, stimulate, nurture and guide both the parent and the child. Swimming teachers do not perform 'miracles' to get children swimming and water-safe.
A parent who cannot swim can with guidance teach their own children to swim. Their swim education develops by being the educator or watching their child/children being taught by a swimming teacher. An adult who decides that they want to learn to swim is very brave.
The parent truly learns and realizes the dangers in and around water once their child/children begin swimming lessons. These are the parents who never take the child/children's swimming ability, water safety awareness, swimming aids, pool safety equipment for granted. They also as a rule do not rely on other people to take responsibility for their child/children in and around water.
The parent chooses the school in which they want their child/children to be educated for specific reasons. In the same way the swim school should be chosen for specific reasons, not necessarily to suit the parent, but according to the child/children's need and gain.
Children
Swim children learn how to express themselves physically through learning to move their bodies. In a swimming pool, once they are confident and safe swimmers they are not restricted and can express themselves freely with much pleasure creating a sense of well being and continued good health.
Children who learn to swim properly and confidently before going to school learn LIFE SKILLS. These LIFE SKILLS include learning to listen, learning to take instructions, learning to understand instructions, learning to carry out instructions, learning to focus on learning skills, learning to share, learning to take turns, learning to participate in group activities, learning to fail, learning to achieve, learning to succeed, learning to be adventurous, patience, social interaction, respect, to be peers.
Children are expected to be able to swim confidently by the time they reach school going age having been taught privately. At school there are seldom facilities for teaching swimming. The facilities available for non-swimmers to learn to swim at school are not comfortable and are generally outdoors in windy conditions. It is unfair to expect a fearful, unconfident child to learn to swim in uncomfortable conditions. Coaching of competitive swimming at school means the non-swimmer is left out of most swimming or water activities. Peer pressure is very great if you cannot swim. At school the most supported of all sport is the annual Inter-House Swimming Gala which is a very exciting event for the whole school which also involves all the teachers and parents. You do want your child/children to participate in this gala, especially during their first year at school.
Swim school discipline
When one goes to school there is a discipline and routine for teachers, children and parents collectively, without exception. The set rules prevent chaos, create order and fairness.
Going to a swim school to learn to swim is the same as going to school for an academic education except that when one goes to swimming lessons under the age of 4 years old swimming lessons will be the first formal form of tuition a child will experience. The parent will be required to conform to the requirements, routine and discipline set by the swim school whereby the parent sets an example to their child/children just as they will when their child/children begin pre-school/big school.
The discipline and routine is for the purpose of education, prevents distraction, create a sense of harmony, a feeling of security, sense of well being and dignity for all. All children and parents are treated equally. The purpose of education in all its forms is to stimulate and develop children to realize their full potential. Consistent routine and discipline by both the teacher and the parent will achieve this goal. One major difference between school and a swim school is that the swimming teacher is always responsible for the child's life while the child is in the water.
Research
Research in support of Developmental Readiness for Swimming (Mumford
1897, Watson 1939, McGraw 1939, Mayerhof 1952).
In 1968 research into the Swim Behaviour of Infants and the total development
of the child of which each study covers seven years compares infants and
toddlers who from their 28th month, 3rd year, 4th and 6th year of life
were exposed to Stimulus Swimming.
The experiment encompassed the grasp of readiness for swimming, the general motor fitness, the mental level of development, as well as the parental behaviour during swimming. This experiment shows that the 'swim children' distinguish themselves over their peers through better ability to adapt to new situations, greater self confidence and more independence. They felt more capable to meet new challenges. Observations during gymnastics in which 'swim children' as well as 'non-swim children' participated lead to the statement-
'Swim Children' are in contrast to children without early stimulation more strong willed and independent in their decisions. They move around more spontaneously, more fearlessly and with more certainty. They display in general greater motor activity. They are superior in their physical condition to the non-swimmers. They master new situations more quickly and independently'.
Having taught children from the age of 3 months old of which most children attended swimming lessons for no less than 1 year while most attended swimming lessons continuously over an average period of three to eight years, I confirm, through observation and experience, all findings in past studies. 'Swim Children' proved to be peers, elite pupils at school, elite sports and activities children. The most important characteristics shown are those of 'participation' as well as showing true sportsmanship when 'winning' or 'losing'.
Further to the above, most 'swim children' showed readiness for 'big school', ballet, karate, gymnastics, horse riding, ice skating and most extra mural activities from the age of 3- 4 years old, this being approximately one year ahead of 'non-swim children'. Generally these activities may only be attended from the age of 4 or 5 years old.
Refer to Longitudinal Study.
"A true teacher is not one with most knowledge, rather it is one who causes most others to have knowledge"
