If you were asked what were the most important life skills for your young child to learn, what would your answer be? For many parents reading, writing and counting would be at the top of the list, but when you think about it swimming should be up there too. Swimming as a hobby has a lot going for it - it's great fun, it's healthy and it's  also an ideal way to spend those rainy winter days when it’s too wet to play in the garden or at the park. Even more importantly learning to swim could one day save their lives, so here are some tips on how to go about teaching them.

How early can you start?

You can begin to teach your child to swim from a very young age, as early as 6 months old. Taking your young baby to the pool can be a little daunting. After all, the only water she’s familiar with at this age is the bath and that’s a lot smaller than any swimming pool.

But don't be put off - teaching your baby to swim is a lot easier than it sounds. In fact, try not to think of it as teaching her to swim at all, view it more as developing her confidence in water. Apply the same concepts you would use regardless of what you are teaching her – make it fun, take it slowly, use lots of repetition and above all smile! If she sees you looking concerned, she will pick up on it and start to worry too.

From six months

The first few visits to the pool with a baby of about six months old shouldn’t last any more than 10-15 minutes. Always use the teaching pool (it will be warmer than the main pool) and only increase the amount of time spent in the pool as her confidence develops and her strength begins to build up.

• Don’t use armbands at this very young age, as they will be too difficult to put on.

• Bounce her up and down in the water and encourage her to splash her arms about.

• Aim to splash her face gently with the water regularly so that she gets used to the feeling of water on her face. (You can also do this at bath time.)

• Don’t let her get cold.

• Use armbands, blown up fully.

• Hold her at arms length and encourage her to become aware of the space around her in the water by kicking her legs and waving her arms about.
  
• As she develops in confidence, hold her hands and try to get her to kick her legs out behind her.
  
• Make it fun - play rhyming games/ take in a favourite bath toy etc.
  
• Gradually begin to let go of her hands and play chasing games, where you follow her about in the water. Make sure that she is within your vision and reach at all times.

• Encourage her to jump in; assure her that you will be there to catch her. As she jumps in she will naturally go under, hold on to her and bring her up again. Greet her with a smile and praise her to reassure her that going under is OK. By this time she will be so used to splashing about and getting her face wet that this should not cause too much concern. If she is not keen to jump in when standing, get her to slide in at first from a sitting position.

• Guide her on her back and hold her bottom underneath initially, encourage her to straighten her legs and to kick very gently, not making too much of a splash.
  
• Once she is confident on her back, then try a similar activity on her front.
  
• Tell her to wave her arms gently by her sides so that she becomes aware that she does need to use her arms when she is swimming.
  
• Play more chasing games.

• Gradually start to deflate her armbands so that there is a little less air inside every week. Don’t tell her you’re doing this – if you do it slowly enough she won’t even notice!
  
• Show her how to move her arms for the doggy paddle stroke. By deflating her armbands, she will be able to move her arms about more. Carry on doing this for several weeks until there is no air left in the armbands.

If you start swimming with a six month year old baby, expect the whole process to take about two years.

If your child is older and hasn’t been in a pool before, you will need to spend more time building confidence before you follow the steps outlined.

Once they get the hang of doggy paddle without armbands their ready for an instructor, who will be able to teach both the strokes and the required breathing techniques.

Remember there can be a downside to all that water confidence you’ve instilled in your child. Watch out for over confidence, especially when she is excited. As a safeguard, incorporate some dos and don’ts into your routine.

• Be positive – let her know that you will be there at all times.

• Put the armbands on in the changing room.
  
• Ensure she understands that you always get in the pool first and that she cannot jump in if you are not in the pool to support her.
  
• Reinforce the pool rules, e.g. she mustn’t run along the poolside etc.

• Show concern if she goes under - pull her up smiling and reassure her that she is safe.
  
• Never duck her under - you are teaching her to trust you in the pool.
  
• Don’t make her do something she is reluctant to try. Give her a choice and if she’s nervous, leave it to another day.

The most important thing to ‘do’ is:

Have fun. If you show her that you are enjoying yourself, she will too.

Happy splashing!

Sarah St John is a fully qualified primary school teacher with seven years teaching experience.