“My little daughter loves the pool! She begs to go swimming all the time. The only problem is that I can’t take my eyes off her for a second. If I do, she jumps right into water way over her head and comes up sputtering and laughing and completely ready to do it again. Can you teach her to swim this summer?”
“My son is terrified of the big pool! He’ll go into a blow-up pool, but if I take him to a real pool, he refuses to go near the water, and if I try to take him in, he clutches me in a death grip and won’t let go. Can you teach him to swim this summer?”
These two children are exactly the same age, but that is where the similarity ends. Although my recommendations to the two mothers were not the same, at the end of the road, I anticipate the same result for both: swimming proficiency. What remains unclear is where the beginning of that road should be.
A fearless child who is fairly well coordinated will most likely learn to swim easily, whether the child begins lessons at age four, seven, ten, or later. Conversely, a fearful, less agile child will generally require more time and effort to master the skills, no matter when he starts. Is there a compelling reason to start lessons at age four or five as opposed to waiting a few years?
One school of aquatic thought is of the opinion that it’s preferable to teach swimming at an older age, like ten or twelve, since the ability to coordinate head , body, arms, and legs is more developed the that point. The brain is also able to more effectively process multiple instructions at a later age, and the emotional maturity of an older child will result in increased cooperation with the instructor.
In my experience, I have definitely found these three points to be true. There is no question that the multitasking required by the front crawl is more in the domain of an older child than a younger one. That being said, it is important to realize that waiting has major drawbacks.
The first consideration is safety. A child who is without fear is apt to place himself in risky or life-threatening situations in the water. In addition to the narrative of the first mother, I have heard several terrifying stories of daredevil non-swimmers who leaped happily into deep water and needed to be rescued by the lifeguard on duty. One child recounted that he was not noticed by the lifeguard as he struggled for his life; he was fortunately able to save himself by employing the skills that he had just acquired in early stages of swimming lessons. A fearful child can also land up in a fight for survival if he inadvertently enters water that is too deep for his comfort level. If the child has not learned basic swimming skills, the results can be and often have been disastrous.
Bear in mind, too, that a child who starts off hesitant to enter the pool or put his face in the water may experience an exponential intensification of his fears if they are not nipped in the bud while he is young and more open to redirection. And, while it is true that it is easier to transmit the actual physical skills of swimming to an older swimmer, it is much harder to flip that older child’s mindset from that of “non-swimmer” to that of “swimmer.” Given that the mastery of swimming requires a feeling of trust and comfort in the water, the absence of that mindset can serve as a major deterrent in the learning process. It is certainly easier to amend one’s self-perception at age five than at age twelve.
Another factor in this equation is that a younger child who is fearful can be coaxed to a place of comfort through fun activities, creative games,
stories, prizes, and imaginative play. An older child is generally not responsive to these, and the instructor has to rely on the child’s inner motivation to learn. By that point in the child’s life, though, that desire is likely to have been replaced by the notion that “this swimming thing just isn’t for me.” It is quite challenging to combat this sort of thought process, while the instructor attempts to teach strokes and breathing techniques.
An additional reality that cannot be ignored is that swimming is a fundamental part of a child’s summer social experience. Prowess in the pool is a tremendous confidence booster, especially for a shy child. Unfortunately, the converse holds true as well; the nonswimmer in a pool full of girls playing marco polo tends to feel embarrassed by her inability to participate. Bear in mind that the average six-year-old is likely to attend a camp that swims in a regular pool. Possessing swimming skills can make the difference between a happy, successful social situation and a dismally unsuccessful one, during a very crucial part of the child’s day.
There is another disadvantage to delaying lessons: Children who enjoy the water have an almost desperate longing to get themselves across the
pool. If they have taken lessons, they will apply what they have learned. If not, they will devise their own strategy for locomotion. This self-taught stroke generally involves a contorted body, thrashing legs, flailing arms, and a head that twists wildly from side to side. In effect, each body part is doing exactly the opposite of what it is supposed to do. It is extremely difficult to undo the lessons that his child has taught himself, as the graceful beauty of a straight body position is completely foreign to the do-it-yourself swimmer.
These are some of the cases that can be made for both sides of the early vs. late lessons controversy. If we move away from there and assume the early-start approach, the question arises, what exactly is the ideal age to begin lessons for little ones?
If a child is comfortable and unafraid in the water, I have found five to be a good starting age (though a precocious four year old can certainly
learn to float and even swim). Generally, five-year-olds are able to process directions and have the coordination necessary for bobbing and basic arm and leg action. They are also ready and eager for the independence that comes with their entry into the world of swimming.
Children who are afraid of the water may need a full season just to be helped through their fears, so an earlier start maybe advisable. Since most
of us are operating within a confined budget, parents may consider working themselves with their child to get him past his fears. Patience, access to a pool, and a creative approach are necessary components to render this decision a successful one. Once the fears have been overcome, the real lessons can begin.
Note of caution: Be realistic. If the nature of your life is such that you will not be able to invest the necessary amount of time, you are better off hiring someone to do the job. Otherwise, be prepared for the frustration that hits you when you realize that another season has gone by and your child is still reluctant to enter the water.
I would advise all parents to make sure that a child who is beginning lessons this summer is willing to immerse his face in water. If he isn’t,
it’s worth investing time in the bathtub at home for a few weeks prior to the first lesson. Make a game out of bubbling, seeing underwater, or dunking one’s face. This is a great way to ensure that your child makes speedy progress in her lessons, as it is virtually impossible to achieve an effective float without immersing the face.
How long does it take a child to learn to swim? Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Still, most children follow a general pattern. Once the child is comfortable in the pool, the first and sometimes second season is generally dedicated to learning the front float, back float, and the beginning of a messy stroke. It usually takes two or three summers to straighten out the stroke and add correct breathing techniques. Treading, back crawl, elementary back stroke, and diving are addressed simultaneously. During subsequent summers, if lessons are continued, they will be spent perfecting the front crawl, working on endurance, and adding other strokes. Additional skills that are usually taught at the same time are surface diving, jumping, and survival floating.
Some parents choose to stop lessons when a messy front crawl has been achieved. Others wait till a semidecent stroke emerges. Still others keep going until the child has developed a strong, supportive stroke as well as stamina and endurance, both prerequisites for potential lifeguards. Ultimately, this decision is an individual one, based on the parents means and the nature and future goals of the child.
I would be remiss if I confined the scope of this article to the mainstream population, as children with disabilities have much to gain from the pool as well. I have personally observed divine intervention during my years of teaching swimming to this special population. Parents who were definitively told by experts that their child would never swim have had the joyful experience of seeing those predictions come to naught. Somehow, the soothing sensation of being surrounded by water often enables handicapped children to perform to the outer limits of their abilities.
For the instructor, it is crucial to break down each step of the process as much as possible, and also to find a way to adapt the stroke to accommodate the individual child’s areas of weakness. Arm, leg, and body movements must be simulated with the child, as he may not be capable of correctly processing verbal cues.
An unending reservoir of patience is a requirement for this type of instruction, as the going may be slow. Generally, though, there is progress, and realistic goals can be met. For example, one delightful youngster whom I worked with loved to be propelled from one set of adult arms to another. The seconds when he was floating on his own as he moved from one person to another gave him the physical sensation of the water holding him up. The same child has neck muscles that are too floppy to support his head properly for a front float. He was a natural candidate for beginning with a back float, and he loved it!
No matter what category your child fits into (and it is likely that he doesn’t fit neatly into any category but has his own unique mix of characteristics and abilities) make sure to find instructors who love children and who resonate with the love and joy of their profession. Teaching swimming is truly bestowing a gift that lasts a lifetime. It’s worthwhile to do it right.â—†
