How to teach your child to swim, at what age?

From the youngest age, teach a child to swim is essential for him to be comfortable in the water safely, whether in a private or public swimming pool, a waterway or in the sea and the ocean. Knowing how to swim also allows the child toacquire safety reflexesand so on reduce the risk of drowning, which causes approximately 1,000 deaths each year. This learning to swim must be done with a state-qualified lifeguard during swimming lessons. Parents can also help their child become familiar with the aquatic environment by doing some exercises with them at home or in a public swimming pool. Lighting with Axel Lamotte, lifeguard and media referent of the National Federation of Lifeguards.

From what age can a child learn to swim?

“In general, we say that it is when entering CP, around the age of 6 years. But, knowing that girls are often precocious than boys, some may from 3-4 years old be able to learn to swim”, explains the specialist. Moreover, some children, who live for example by the sea or have a swimming pool at home, go learn to swim earlier with their parents or their siblings. Others, on the contrary, who will not have easy access to suitable infrastructures, will be able to swim later.

“Around the age of 6, a child can learn to swim.”

Ideally, it is always preferable to use the services of a state-qualified lifeguard and “Take swimming lessons to your child”, specifies Axel Lamotte. A child will be more attentive and diligent with a stranger than with his own parents. Swimming professionals teach them the swimming skills in swimming pools, but also on beaches, lakes or leisure centres. The price of a swimming lesson varies from one pool to another, but also according to the pace of the lessons.

The first objective is to allow the child to know how to get to the edge of the swimming pool after an accidental fall, for example. The little one will then be able to move a few meters under water if necessary. Be careful, this should not lead adults to relax their vigilance. will come next learning different types of swimming according to a very specific pedagogy based on these pillars: water entry, balance, immersion, breathing and propulsion.

Also keep in mind that“a child who knows how to swim is good, but it is largely insufficient, he needs to improve his swimming skills regularly” by resuming a few swimming lessons each year, says the professional.

What exercises to do with your child to teach him to swim?

“If you want to familiarize your child with swimming, you can do exercises with him in the water, as long as you don’t put him in the same situation all the time“, and without taking his eyes off him, underlines the lifeguard. “You have to multiply the educational situations to enrich your experience in the water.”Here are some exercises and small games to do at the beginning with your child to teach him to swim:

• put your head under water
• go underwater between your legs
• do the plank (you can then support it at the level of the back)
• propel themselves through the water on the edge of the pool, by supporting themselves on their feet
• use a board to practice kicking
• use flippers
• put armbands on him, then take them off

Remember that neither the belt, neither armbands, let alone inflatable mattresses, can protect a child against drowning, only the vigilance of an adult can..

Learning to swim alone, what are the reflexes to have?

If you have decided to do some exercises with your child to give him confidence in the water, you should pay attention to:

Safety in the water

One of the challenges of swimming is to achieve acquire a horizontal balance, in opposition to the vertical balance of the human being when it moves on dry land. A difficult challenge for children who very often, because of the buoys (to be absolutely avoided), are in the water as they are on land: vertical. A position that makes learning to swim impossible. The belt, equipped with floats, is therefore the preferred accessory for learning to swim.

The choice of the aquatic environment

You cannot teach a child to swim in just any aquatic environment: it is better prefer swimming pools. “The problem with swimming in open water (sea, pond, river, editor’s note), is that it involves risks whether you are a child or an adult. In the ponds there may be cold rising water, algae. At sea, there may be jellyfish, baïnes, current, waves, etc. explains the expert.

Have the ability to save your child

Parents who help their child swim must be able themselves to know how to swim wellespecially if an accident occurs.

The surveillance

It is essential to always supervise the child when in the watereven if you are next to him, and pay attention to what he is doing. If you have a swimming pool at home, also consider the security devices. You must install either a protective barrier, an audible alarm system, a security cover or a veranda-type shelter that covers the entire pool. This equipment must comply with the standards of the French Association for Standardization (Afnor)

How long does it take for a child to learn to swim?

It all depends on the age of the child, his abilities, the pace of the lessons, but also his ease in the water at the start. “A child may have excellent coordination of their movements in the water after 10 lessons, and another may need 30 lessons to learn to swim“, nuance our interlocutor.

An aquaphobic child or who has developed a strong apprehension will need a little more time to feel confident, put their head under water without fear, and then move on to learning safety and swimming techniques. In general, it is considered thatit takes an average of ten sessions for a child to learn to swim.

Thanks to Axel Lamotte, lifeguard and media referent of the National Federation of lifeguards.