STA’s Learn to Swim Week is 21st-27th May..so here are 10 tips from STA to help your baby get used to the feeling of the water.
Fun in the Bath
This can be a natural step towards swimming lessons and help improve their water confidence for life. Below are some fun activities you can do with your child to make bath time even more beneficial and enjoyable.
Safety First
• Never leave a baby or child unattended in the bath
• Always make sure you check the temperature of the water
before a baby /child gets in
• Look out for clues that a baby is getting cold or has had
enough: shivering, crying or lip trembling
• Make sure there is a towel at hand for when a baby / child
comes out of the bath. Dry them as quickly as possible.
10 Activities
1. Encourage baby / child to splash their hands and toes. To encourage them, use the rhyme: ‘this is the way we splash our toes’
‘this is the way we splash our hands’
2. Using a cup or watering can gives them an opportunity to play and explore how the water moves. They can also pour water onto different parts of their bodies as they play
3. Place a ball on top of the water, push it down and let the ball pop up out the water
4. Use a mirror to play Peek-a-boo. Try putting bubbles on top of baby / child’s head, this may amuse them and help them relax
5. Place floating boats in the water and encourage your baby/child to blow the boats along. You could join in and have a race as confidence grows
6. Encourage baby / child to kick their legs, pushing the boats out to sea with the big waves they are making
7. Try making a bubble bath party using 4 tablespoons of baby shampoo or bubble bath into the bath to see how many bubbles it
makes. Add food colouring to the bubble bath however you need to rinse the bath thoroughly after.
8. Add some sinking toys into the water and encourage baby / child to look and reach for them
9. Use building blocks to allow baby / child to build towers and knock them down, splashing into the water
10. Sing the wheels on the bus using different actions for the different verses.