Fact or Fiction: My kids are water competent BECAUSE they know the front crawl and back crawl. (Part 1 or 3)

FICTION!

Water competent kids know more than just each of the swimming strokes. They also have a solid understanding of the water and know what to do if they are involved in a water emergency.

How do I support my kids in becoming water competent?

1. Complete ALL Learn-To-Swim Levels
2. Be active and engaged before, during, and after lessons
3. Practice swimming with your swimmer in a variety of aquatic environments

Completing ALL Learn-To-Swim Levels is essential to having water-competent kids!

Check out these top three reasons why it's essential your children complete all the learn-to-swim levels to become water competent!

​Reason 1:
A child who completes Level 3 has acquired just the basic/minimal swimming skills for swimming and water competency in a pool. A swimmer that a completed Level 3 skills have only learned about half of the survival swimming needed to truly stay safe in, on, and around the water. 

Swimming skills they have learned are:

• Front crawl, yet they still might be doggy paddling and kicking their legs like they're riding a bike
• Elementary Backstroke, yet their body might still be diagonal in the water
• Breaststroke, yet they still might look like a frog 
• Sidestroke kick

Reason 2:
Completing Levels 4, 5, and 6 gives your child the skills and endurance to be more competent in different bodies of water and activities, such as going to a waterpark or swimming in open water. 

Swimming skills they learn in levels 4-6:

• All six swimming strokes include front crawl, back crawl, elementary backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke, and butterfly
• The correct breathing and time of each stroke to sustain swimming longer distances or in moving water
• How all these strokes can be used for survival swimming in all bodies of water
• Water Safety skills which can be used in all bodies of water 

Reason 3:
Water competency is not just about swimming skills, it's also about knowing how to recognize and act in a water emergency. Level 6 swim lessons teach swimmers what to do to help themselves and others in a water emergency.

Check out our Water Competency Questionnaire to determine if your swimmers are Water Competent!

Water Competency Quiz

Stay tuned for Part 2 of 3!