Many toddlers churn up irrational fears somewhere along their childhoods. Although generally normal, it is no fun dealing with these fears, especially when they interfere with ordinary activities. One such fear is swimming. Hanging out at the pool, beach, or lake as a family can be a fun venture; however, a scared toddler will make it a lot more trying. For good swimming skills, the swimming lessons for adults singapore will be beneficial. The coach at the place will have proper skills and knowledge of swimming.
Here are five tips on how to help your toddler get over the fear of swimming.
- Practice
My toddler spent the first few years of his life in Alaska where there are a couple stuffy indoor pools, freezing cold lakes, and no outdoor pools. His exposure to swimming was limited, only trotting out to the pool once or twice a year. We recently moved to Texas, where pool swimming is the norm, but my toddler wasn’t accustomed to the pools. However, the more we go swimming, the braver he is becoming. In no time, he will be playing just like the other kids who have been here for years.
- Float Toys and Devices
Sometimes the security of your arms isn’t enough. Securing arm floats on your toddler or supplying other float toys will comfort your child even more. Your toddler isn’t necessarily afraid of dying, but there is the fear of sinking under the water and being unable to come back up. There are many float toys such as simple round inner tubes, long noodles, and blow-up sharks and whales available for purchase at most retail stores.
- Goggles/Snorkels
Some children, especially toddlers, find it very uncomfortable to have water splashed in the eyes, nose, or mouth. This is more so the case when the toddler has a fear of swimming. To help ease the worry of splashed water, provide a pair of goggles with or without a snorkel.
- Water Toys
There are a wide range of water toys available for purchase. These toys are generally decent priced and offer quite a bit of water fun. Some toys that allow for many people playing at a time are water balls and squirt guns. It will help ease water fears even more when you are able to play along with your toddler. When the toddler becomes more comfortable, there are also diving toys.
- Lead by example
If it is an option, have someone else hold your toddler while you play in the water. Dunking your head, swimming across the pool, jumping, playing with water toys, using float toys, and splashing will show the toddler that you can have fun while in the water. Always remain patient and optimistic, and soon your toddler will feel comfortable in the water.