Homework

There are lot's of ways you can help your child with their swimming progression without even going near the water. When your child is learning to swim you must understand that 30 minutes a week to learn is not a lot of time. Helping your child's muscle memory by doing the required movements out of the water can help their swimming progression to no end. Stretching the required muscles and tendons to complete the movements for the technique can help your child transfer the movement to the water and gain the technique faster.



Things to practice at home that will help at any level of your child's swim progression are things like jumping, hanging, swinging, rolling, risk taking, problem solving and any type of activity that will build on core strength.

Some homework for the different levels at Aquatots can be as follows

SEA HORSE 1 & DOLPHIN 1

Breath control can be practiced by working on holding breath and blowing out on cue. You can practice the blowing into drinks through straws or blowing light objects across a surface like ping pong balls.

Working on wetting the face and making this a positive and fun experience can help with confidence. Always treat water on the face as a positive thing. Sing songs and make it fun, when the water is on your child's face it is important that you do not wipe it off for them, encourage them to understand water on the face is ok.

Rocket arm position is also great to practice out of the water. Ensure your child's ears are in front of their arms when practicing this position ready to transfer to the water. This position can be done on the floor, standing tall or planking on a stool/chair etc for added core strength.

SEA HORSE 2 & DOLPHIN 2

The muscles for rolling in the water can be built by practicing rolling on the ground at home. Try to encourage your child to roll turning their head as the head will turn the body when in the water

Practice pointing and flexing the feet to stretch the tendons. Ensure you use the key words point and flex so we can start building on the terminology used in class.

Lay on tummy and practice freestyle kick movement. Ensure the movement is coming from the hips. This needs to be done front and back. For added core strength do the exercise in a plank position on a stool/chair.

SEA HORSE 3 & DOLPHIN 3

Talk about strong swimming hands and practice the difference between floppy hands and swimming hands

Make the correct arm movements on land for backstroke, ensure the bicep touches the ear and the hand brushes the thigh every round. This will force the correct shoulder roll movement required to perform the correct arm positions. Arms must always move in opposites. For extra strength you can have your child hold full soft drink cans while performing the movement.

Make the correct movements for freestyle arms, arms never catch up and always move in opposites. Ensure a long strong stretch. The upper body should turn with the arm movements but the head needs to stay still.

SEA HORSE 4 & MINI/DOLPHIN 4

Practice on dry land bending at the hips, arms circles and turning the head to breath as the backhand exits the water. The head should turn back before the arm gets back around to the front.

Talk about strong swimming hands and the forearms like ores on a boat pushing the water to the leg for a strong backstroke pull

MINI/SHARK ADVANCED

Chant the timing for breaststroke arms, breath, kick, glide 1 2 over and over

Work on breaststroke arm movement making sure that the hands do not pull back past the shoulders

Frog kick can be practiced on the floor, have both feet kick the bottom, turn the feet out, legs apart and around to the start. Encourage a toe point at the end of the kick and count to 2

TRANS SQUAD PREP/SQUAD PREP

Walk around doing the butterfly arm pattern. Strong hands push down to the hips, pinky's out then swing the hands back to the start. Thumbs should be pointing to the ground for the whole stroke and hands should end up back together in front.

Have your child lay on their tummy on the floor and work on bringing the shoulder blades together to strengthen the back. It is usually the strength available in this area that will allow your child to perform the correct movement for butterfly arms.

Practice timing of the breath by brining the head up as the arms press down past the hips, head should be back down before the arms are back in front

Work on kick by moving the hips back and forward, this will build on muscle memory and core strength.

Another great way to help your child with their progression is to get to the pool as often as possible. Allowing your child to play and explore the water will not only build their confidence but have them at ease with their buoyancy in the water. A child that is balanced in the water will find it easier to gain correct technique.

Your child's report card will also give you an idea of what your child needs to master to progress to the next level. If you would like some help understanding what it is your child needs to do to progress please feel free to talk to our amazing team leaders (they are in the bright green shirts), they are more than happy to let you know and give tips on what you can do to help your child achieve what is required.