Some notes and things to think about for swimming and helping your child through the process:
(You'll be 19 steps ahead of the game if you get your kid or yourself to do hummingbird bubbles before our trial!)
Spend time in the water with your kid learning to love the water is something that you guys can enjoy together. It’s a bonding experience and your kids seeing you love the water will in turn make your kids love the water too. It’s pretty self-explanatory…. Smile and laugh and love and make positive experiences in the water even when it’s a little bit scary come up from under the water and say oh my gosh wow you’re so amazing. That was so brave of you. Wow…. Stuff like that!
-how many humming bird bubbles can your kid do? In a row? With their goggles? In a bowl—- not the tub?—-Try for five in a row keeping mouth completely closed and humming(ask yourself is my child really attempting this am I practicing with my child? Is my child wearing goggles? Are we doing this in a bowl? Are we making the sound and humming out loud this is a very important part of swimming. It will allow your child to learn how to breathe and exhale during swimming, which is very important for getting comfortable in the water.!!! How can you make this more fun for your child? Can you take a video of him or her doing it? Can you do it with them so you can understand the struggle??? Please practice! This is a huge way that I you can help your kid with swimming! If you want to have fun with that, video, your child doing it and send it to me and I’ll give you guys great positive reinforcement!
Over time, you will be getting familiar with these vocabulary terms:
Hummingbird bubbles
Wide arms- breast stroke arms or (serve the soup—- do the chicken)
Froggy position,-knees on the wall two hands holding on both sides for froggy jumps and swooshes
swooshes, - head back look up at the ceiling hair flings from one side to another (swooshes get kids ready for floating on their back)
pencil position, - body straight as a pencil and flat as a pancake arms straight head down both arms on the edge of pool and butt facing the ceiling. Head down butt up—- humming bird bubbles. Hold it tight
the tummy seal with kicks,- tummy touching shallow bottom of pool and head up making seal sounds - also called “the mermaid” —- part of your WORLD
the subtle , crocodile -( the subtle a crocodile wants to catch the birds at the end of the pool, but he hast to be very very quiet, and he hast to be hardly noticeable so he keeps his chin in the water at all times )! —— for example, if you are using a kickboard, the chin is in the water, and there is no space for a giraffe head. (Where your neck is up ) how can you make your body look like how a crocodile moves in the water that doesn’t wanna be noticed by anybody he can hardly see them right.
Giraffe head- when you put your head up in the water this is the WRONG POSITION—- never ever do giraffe head!
arrow position, - one arm by your side the other arm touching your ear. Straight arms like robot arms
red light, Green Light, - kicking with the upper part of your ankle go and freeze- making white water kicks- making sure not to flex your feet—- always ballerina feet pointed toes
starfish, — head back chin up belly up look at ceiling push hips and belly up and relax pretend you’re sleeping
sleepy baby position, - arrow position your shoulder becomes a pillow - sleepy baby is on your side
kicking - with kick board with straight arms, —- control the puppy the kick board is your puppy so don’t let it pee everywhere you need to control your pet or else your neighbors will get mad - draw a imaginary line, halfway down the cake board and put both of your arms on the side with your forearms, facing the ceiling with straight arms and hold tightly.
robot arms, — straight arms
stretchy arms, —- long long arms stretchy arms always reach all the way forward all the way forward all the way forward
super straight arms, —- very important
super tight arms, - if you try to push the arms down—- they don’t move because they are tight
Fish fin hands, - fingers together and engaged
platypus hands, - fingers apart absolutely unacceptable
starfish - floating on back arms and head and legs in star position
Treading water- one big circle like a turtle one big circle like a turtle one big circle like a turtle, one big circle like a turtle. When arms move slower, we expand less energy….. feet can do egg beater, breast stroke kick or venom diagram motions
flip the sammich to sleepy baby - for breathing…when learning freestyle
You will learn these over time… you should be involved in their learning so you can help them and bond over swimming with your kids