The well-known mantra that ‘you can’t swim if you can’t float’ is an essential starting point for all of our swim lessons no matter what age the swimmers are. However, you can’t do a front or prone float without putting your head or face in the water, so make sure your class is comfortable with having their faces in the water for at least 5 seconds or so before you make a start with front floats.
Below is a good video which goes through stages of how to encourage children to float confidently. Ignore the first 2 minutes (and the slightly porn-star look of the teacher!) and there’s some useful stuff there.
Some backyard pools can be pretty deep and although there are ledges or steps there may not be much shallow water to work with. Swim platforms are great for all Learn to Swim drills, but if you can encourage a family to buy one for the children they are particularly useful for learning to float. Learners can practice both front and back floats with the security of having their hands on the ground.
Platforms also help with building confidence as children learn to swim towards a shallow area where they can sit or stand.
Back Float
This video has some good clear direction on how to hold a young child in a back float to help them feel secure. The teacher also has a nice counting idea and I find that songs work well too. Twinkle Twinkle Little Toes and the Scarecrow Song (see both below).
Scarecrow Song
(start holding the child in a back float)
While all the cows are sleeping
And the sun has gone to bed.
(jump out of water)
Up jumped the scarecrow and this is what he said
I’m a dingle dangle scarecrow, with a flippy floppy hat
I can splash my hands like this
And kick my legs like that
While all the hens are roosting
And the moons behind a cloud
Up jumped the scarecrow and shouted very loud
I’m a dingle dangle scarecrow, with a flippy floppy hat
I can splash my hands like this
And kick my legs like that
(Hold children in a back float and sing To the tune of twinkle twinkle little star)
Twinkle twinkle little toes
This is how my floating goes
Ears in the water, tummy up high
Flat like a pancake I float by
Twinkle twinkle little toes
This is how my floating goes