Bath Time Activities That Build Fundamental Swimming Skills!

The bath is a great place to safely support your little one's curiosity about water, start building safe water habits at a young age, and even learn some fundamental swimming skills. 

At first, some little ones might be fussy during bath time and others may love it immediately! It's always important to acknowledge their feelings, reassure them that they are ok, and encourage them to try new things. 

As they become more comfortable during bath time, we, as parents and guardians, can support their curiosity by teaching them about the water through songs and play. Check out three of our favorite activities you can do in the bath to ensure your little one has a positive water experience while learning foundational swimming skills.

Make it rain

This is an excellent activity to help your little one get adjusted to the water. 

You can use your hands, a sponge, a toy watering can, or little toy bath cups to sprinkle water on your little one's body. It's important to start at their toes and gradually move up their body so they can begin to observe what they are experiencing. 

Two tips for doing this activity with your little one:

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​TIP 1. You may want to narrate when is happening while you are sprinkling water on their body. For example, Mommy is sprinkling water on your toe-toes. Daddy is putting some water on your tummy. This will help develop language and allow them to associate this feeling with what is happening.

TIP 2. Sing A Song! For some little ones, adding music is soothing. Some songs we sing while doing this activity in swim lessons are: "Rain, Rain Go Away" or "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary." Of course, feel free to sing your little one's favorite song too!

Talk to the fishies

Talking to the fishies helps your little one start to develop one of the most fundamental swimming skills, breath control. 

When encouraging your little one to talk to the fishies, you want to make sure you have one or both hands under their chest to at first keep their face above water. Begin to lower their head slowly into the water starting with their chin and then lips. If they are comfortable with that, then move to submerge their nose, eyes, and forehead. 

While you are beginning to submerge their head, encourage them to blow or exhale to make the water move. Tell them that when you do this under the water, you can talk to the fishies! Once your little one's lips are under the water, they may notice that instead of the water just moving, they are actually blowing bubbles. Be sure to point this out to your little one. Eventually, we want your little one to associate talking to the fishies with blowing bubbles underwater. 

Two tips for talking to the fishies:

​  TIP 1. Go at your little one's pace. If they are uncomfortable at first with being on their tummy, reassure them and try to sing a song to camp them down. If they are still uncomfortable, it's okay to stop and try again next time. Consider pushing your little one a little further each time they are in the bath.

 TIP 2. Some little one's better associate exhaling with blowing at birthday cake candles. If your little one likes to open their mouth instead of exhaling, practice with a candle outside of the bath, especially if their first birthday is coming up!

If you're happy and you know it...

If you're happy and you know it... is one of our FAVORITE activities to do without little ones because it teaches and reinforces four fundamental swimming and water safety skills: moving to safety, breath control, arm movement, and leg movement.

While singing the song "If You're Happy And You Know It", you will replace the actions in the song with these fundamental swimming and water safety skills: bobbing or jumping up and down, blowing bubbles, scooping, or moving their arms in forwarding circles, kicking or moving their legs up and down. 

Lyrics:
If you're happy and you know it bob up and down.
If you're happy and you know it bob up and down.
If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it bob up and down.

Repeat with other skills: blow some bubbles, scoop your arms, kick your feet

Two Tips for singing the swimming version of "If You're Happy And You Know It"

​TIP 1. If you have a tiny little one, at first all your motions will be hand-over-hand motions. You will be moving their body for them until they have associated the words of the songs to their actions and are able to perform the actions on their own.

TIP 2. If you are first introducing this to your little one, consider practicing only one skill at a time. Once you've noticed they are beginning to pick one that first skill, like talking to the fishies or bouncing up and down, then introduce the next skill. Over the course of a few weeks, you can sing the entire song with all four different actions.

Encouraging your little one to try new things during bath time by singing songs and learning through play fosters a love for learning and the water. This transfers to their learning experiences for the rest of their lives, especially in swimming lessons. By doing these activities in the bath you are building the foundation for a water-smart and water safety-aware child, all while creating an unbreakable bond between you and your little one. Stay tuned next week as we dive further into the four fundamental swimming skills!

Download our FREE Bath Time Activity Sheet to keep the directions of these activities nearby when it's bath time!
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Bath Time Activity Sheet