Tips for motivating a hesitant swimmer

Swimming is one of the greatest skills to learn, especially living in the water-loving city of Perth. However, some may not be as passionate as others about learning the skill of swimming. It's completely normal for some kids to be a little bit more reluctant then others to get in the water. If your child is showing signs of resistance when it comes to getting them to the pool or swim lessons, read our top tips below to help them learn a skill for life.

Start early

To get in before kids have the opportunity to develop a fear for the water, it's a great idea to start introducing them to water activities whenever you can. This can include extending bath time a little longer than usual and letting them practice their kicking and floating. As most kids don't develop a natural fear of the water until two years old, it's a good idea to get them familiar with the water from a young age. 

Small steps

As with starting anything new, the best way to learn is to slowly introduce yourself or your kids to the new activity. Start with dipping their feet in at the beach and days spent by the pool or beach that don’t involve swimming. Encourage them to slowly become more comfortable with the water at their own pace, whether that’s dipping their feet in the water one day or putting their face underwater the next. 

Associate swimming with fun 

For kids, the life-long safety benefits of learning to swim do not seem as exciting as the fun and social benefits of the water activity. A great way to teach them the benefits of learning to swim is to associate the water and swimming with fun! Invite their friends to sign up to swimming lessons or run around in the sprinklers on a hot day. Kids will slowly start to understand that learning the skill opens up a whole new world of fun opportunities and extra time spent with their friends. 

Patience

Let’s face it as much as we would like to, it’s not possible to master a new skill overnight. With that being said patience is a must have when guiding the kids on their learn to swim journey. Although it may come easy to you now, you need to remind yourself that learning to swim can be a long and daunting process for some – but if you persevere the benefits will be lifelong. 

Swimming lessons

Swim school instructors understand that not every child will be a water-loving natural when they start out, but they will go above and beyond to ensure your child learns the essential skill of swimming. It may be best and less overwhelming to start the kids out in a private lesson, so they can focus solely on their skill development. No matter where you live, there is always plenty of amazing swim programs for your child to learn to swim in Perth. 

Searching for swim lessons to kick start your child's swim journey and overcome their hesitation? At HBF Stadium we have the best kids swim lessons, Claremont has to offer! Our experienced instructors and low-class ratios will ensure your child is getting the undivided attention they need.