4 Survival Swimming Skills To Practice During Bath Time!

Did you know that you can practice survival swimming skills during bath time?

The four survival swimming skills we often recommend swimmers practice at home are blowing bubbles, floating on their tummies and backs, kicking their feet, and scooping their arms. Regardless of whether or not your little one has had formal swim lessons, you can still introduce these skills and practice with them at home.

Below you will find the four survival swimming skills, why it's an essential skill, and some tips for practicing them during bath time!

SKILL 1: Blowing Bubbles

Blowing bubbles helps young children develop breath control in the water. This begins to teach them how to hold their breath underwater and when to come back up to take a breath. Swim Instructors often introduce bubbles as "talking to the fishies," "blowing out birthday candles," or even "making the water dance." 

Steps to blowing bubbles in the bath:

1. have your little one exhale near the surface of the water and "make the water dance"
   
2. have your little one exhale with just their lips underwater
   
3. have your little one exhale with their lips and nose underwater
   
4. have your little one exhale with their head underwater

Skill 2: Floating

​Floating helps swimmers understand the effects of buoyancy in the water and they learn to keep their head above the water. The begins to teach them about their body positioning in the water. Swim Instructors will teach children how to float on their front just like a superhero and then float on their backs just like taking a nap!

Steps to practice floating in the bath:

1. have your little one lay on their tummy with their face out of the water
   
2. have your little one lay on their tummy with their face in the water blowing bubbles
   
3. have your little one lay on their back and look up at the ceiling

Skill 3: Kicking

​Kicking, or leg movements, helps swimmers move from one place to another in the water and keep their head above water. Swim Instructors start by teaching swimmers the flutter kick, the kick used in the front crawl, while swimmers sit on the edge of the pool. This helps them get used to the motion of kicking before kicking across the pool.  

Steps to practice kicking in the bath:

1. have your little one sit and move their legs up and down, one at a time
   
2. have your little one lay on their back and move their legs up and down, one at a time
   
3. have your little one lay on their tummy and move their legs up and down, one at a time
   

While practicing kicking, it's important to remind your swimmer to point thier toes and keep their kicks right at the top (or surface) of the water and make tiny splash.

Disclaimer: With all that splashing, you might be a little soggy after practicing this skill! A good tip is partially closing the shower curtain, but make sure you always see and get to your little one, should they need help!

Skill 4: Scooping

Scooping, or arm movements, help swimmers move in a specific direction. Swim instructors start off by having swimmers learn to alternate their arms in forwarding circles. Most often swimmers keep their elbows bent close to them when they are first starting off. It's helpful to work with your swimmer on extending their arm like they are reaching for something.

Steps to practice scooping in the bath:

1. when sitting down in the bath, practice alternating their arm in forwarding circles
   
2. place an object a distance away from your swimmer and have them try to touch it while doing alternating forwarding arm circles. After "x" amount of touches, they can play with the object.
   
3. when sitting down in the bath, practice alternating their arms in backward circles.

​It can sometimes be hard to find the time to get to the pool and practice swimming skills with your little one. If you have a bathtub at home and are looking for something to do, consider practicing these survival swimming skills at home with your little one. Blowing bubbles, floating, kicking, and scooping are all survival swimming skills that all of our babies must know!

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