swimming for babies swimming with baby swimming aids all you need to know to start your water baby swimming

Swimming for babies, parents can be quite daunted by just the thought of swimming with babies. Maybe fear or just lack of knowledge not knowing that swimming for babies can lead into a fearless toddler in the water later on in life. Making your job much easier when it comes to teaching your toddler to swim and playing learning games. When your baby has had their relevant injections and there is no medical or other reason why your baby cannot get into a swimming pool then take them, the sooner the better.

First you need to think about what swimming aids for babies you will need. The most popular swimming aids for babies is the baby float. Your baby will able to have fun in the safety of their swimming aids without the worry of your baby coming to any harm. The practices that you are about to follow are simple and easy to follow and are illustrated with photographs.

Swimming for babies/click here to see my page about swimming equipment including baby floats. The first practice we will cover is practice using a baby float. Simple and lots of fun. Babies like to reach out to touch objects, so to make use of this try putting a few objects just beyond babies reach. This could be a ball a floating toy whatever stimulates your baby. Try to encourage your baby by not letting the toy go too far away from their reach. You do not want your child to get bored. Make the practices fun and achievable.

This practice can also be done just using a swim belt as well as a woggle. This baby is reaching out for an animal float, a hedgehog.

Swimming for babies/click here to see more information about woggles and swim belts.

If your child had fun playing the previous swimming for babies activity, then you could progress into the next game. This involves a simple game of wetting your baby with a toy watering can over the head, this is a game you can do using a baby float. You could try watering your own head first laughing and smiling showing your baby their is no fear. Then gently water your baby until they are used to it. If your baby is able then you could try to get him/her to wet you with the watering can. Do this a few times to gain your babies water confidence.

Try this swimming for babies practice using a woggle and a swim belt. Rest your baby along the woggle and hold your baby by the hand and gently pull them along. You could sing a nursery rhyme. Row row row your boat gently down the stream, if you crocodile don't forget to scream!

If your baby is getting on well doing this swimming for babies practice then try doing it again but without a woggle.

Try this simple practice on the back supporting your baby in your arms and gently move him/her around the pool. Your baby can wear the swim belt but if the woggle may get in the way but because you are holding your baby it would be better not to use it on the back for now.

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Another practice which your child will enjoy is a simple jump to Mum/Dad. Stand your baby on the side and encourage your baby to jump or reach for you. You can turn this into a simple game. For example Humpy, dumpy sat on the wall, Humpy Dumpy had a great fall, then your baby will fall into your arms.

So as you can see there are practices you can do with your little one and you do not need to be an expert. Have some time and patience and try the fun games I have gave you to start your baby on the right path to giving your baby water confidence. Click here to return to home page