When to start Submersion?
- When babies are showing good signs of reacting to the cue words and are relaxed and happy with a pour/heavy sprinkling of water for 2-3 seconds they are ready to try submerging.
- New babies and toddlers joining lessons with no previous swimming lesson experience – must be at least in their third week of lessons, before teachers suggests trying a submersion.
- Submersion practices should be done in lessons after Conditioning work. Babies/ toddlers not ready to submerge can join in the activities above water and keep conditioning.
- Teachers must use their professional judgement through watching parent-baby pairs in conditioning practices, to help parents decide when the time is right for baby’s first submersion or dip.
- Give lots of support to parents, when the time comes… even the most confident parent is likely to feel a little anxious about their baby’s first underwater experience!
What Submersions to start with?
- Young babies, older babies and toddlers are all introduced to underwater experiences in different ways.
- It depends on the age of the baby or toddler and when they started swimming lessons. This will also effect how they perform submersions, and transition through different physical changes.
- The younger a baby is when introduced to submerging the easier it is to transition from reflex breath holding to voluntary breath holding.
| Use Starting Age Guide and adhere to Shirley Pool Submersion Policy recommended amount, time and depth of submersions. |
Rate of Progression:
Each baby/toddler is different and their rate of progression should be based on them as an individual.
When the baby/ toddler is happy, confident and comfortable practising their submersion (6 times), a progression should be encouraged and introduced gently. Working closely to see how baby reacts to the progressive step, the reaction should be relaxed and positive… if not more time is needed.
Sometime baby swimmers can go off submerging, normally during big milestone times.
Remind parents, to be patience and allow time for baby’s brains time to process new information and decided how to use it. Normally babies regain enjoyment for previous skills and often move forward in their swim abilities after these milestones are achieved.
Try to keep them involved with the activities and do conditioning work, while others are submerging, encouraging watching and playing similar games, until they show a positive interest again.
Starting Age Guide
From submerging young babies to toddlers.
Starting age: Under 6 Months
For babies starting lessons under 6 months of age : Start at 2. Submerged Dips.
This is because their ‘gag reflex’ is fully operative. They will automatically breath hold when they are submerged. Baby’s need to be fully submerged for the reflex to work best.
Starting age: 6 to 15 Months
For babies starting lessons aged 6 months -15 months: Start at 1. Dip’s.
Unlike younger babies, older babies cant just be dipped completely under, the experience needs gentle introduction as emotionally baby’s are more engaged and aware of their surroundings. Somewhere between 6-9 months the gag reflex fades, and is gone by 12 months, so breath holding through conditioning practices must be learnt.
Starting age: 15 Months to 2 Years
Babies starting aged 15 months to 2 yrs: Start at 1. Dip’s… and see how they react.
Hopefully with enough preparation in conditioning their reaction will be positive, and they happily starting dipping with parent…
If toddlers are not keen to start dipping, continue fun Conditioning practices and encouraging breath holding, until they seems more willing, interested and gain confident with above water practices. This is a delicate time to start swimming, with lots of brain and physical development happening out of the water (big increase in the amount of words learning and walking).
Parents must be patient at this time, giving encouragement, enthusiasm and support to their baby. Assisting them in exploring the water for themselves, with time and enough conditioning practices, there will be something that triggers them to want to submerge or self submerge. Try to keep them engaged in activities, using favourite toys and watching others.
Ask and suggest swims to older babies and toddlers, agreeing swims, and getting consent for short independent swims (to toys/wall/steps) is important for trust and progression at this age. When babies and toddlers are ready, they will enjoy independent swims, which they gain confidence and explore free movement in the water.
Starting age: Above 2 Years
Toddlers starting lessons aged over 2 years: need careful fun introductions to submerging, they should be encouraged to do 1. Dips with parent together.
Ask and suggest swims to the toddlers, agreeing swims, and getting consent for short independent swims (to toys/wall/steps) is important for trust and progression at this age. When toddler is ready, they will agree, and start exploring and enjoy in their own way. Promote independent learning. Often their first dip will be when they decide while swimming or playing. It could be something big like a launch in or jump in! Follow the child’s lead with enthusiasm.
The frequency of intentional submersions should be based on the individual baby’s ages, physical ability and experience.
The number of submersions should be built up progressively at the baby’s pace in lessons, with one new submersion per lesson.
Amount per lesson:
6 weeks – 6 months – build up to 6 submersions.
6 months – 12 months – build up to 12 submersions.
12 months + – no upper limit on amount.
Time in water:
Under 12 months – building to 3 seconds.
Over 12 months – building up to 5-7 seconds.
Depth of Submersion:
Under 12 months should be submerged to a depth NO greater than 1 metre.
Babies and toddlers over 12 months can progressively build up to a maximum submersion depth of 1.5 metres.
Before submerging each lesson:
Check baby is in a happy mood after Conditioning
Check adult is happy, calm and know what they are doing. (Cue words. level of progression, which submersion and hold for their baby etc.)
Demonstrate cue words and movement together.
Remind parents to engage with baby – get eye contact, attention and look for reactions to Cue.
During and after submerging each lesson:
During submersions and agreed swims, teachers should be in a position to watch all parent-baby pairs while submerging.
Allowing them to give clear, quick advice and feedback to the class as a whole from the things observe.
Also free to give advice, support and progressions on individual basis.
After each submersion be positive and give praise and enthusiasm to all baby’s and parents!
Dips and Submerged Dips
1. Dip’s
A dip is when a parent dips their baby’s mouth in the water.
Once parent-baby pair are happy and confident in this, we progress to baby’s whole face dipping in.
- Parent holds baby in front float hold
- At arms length, calls their name, getting eye contact and attention…
- Say “Ready” and start raising baby up, in a deliberate lift movement…
- and “GO!” at the highest point of the lift
- Slight pause then lower baby towards the water, watching for reactions…
- Calmly dip baby’s mouth in, with smooth movement…
- Parent brings baby up and swims baby to their shoulder. Praise!
Gradually dipping more until baby’s whole face is going into the water.
Activities:
1. Rainy Rainbow.
2. Taking turns – Parent dips/ baby dips.
3. From one side to the other side, reward with toy at edge.
4. After a song in the water.
5. After a song, in a circle, then turn to face parent.
2. Submerged Dip’s :
A submerged dip is when a parent takes their baby/toddler completely into the water (whole head submerging).
Once parent-baby pair are happy and confident in this, we progress to parents letting go of their baby’s underwater, allowing baby to move freely in the water and then be gently collected up to the surface.
- Parent holds baby in front float hold
- At arms length, calls their name, getting eye contact and attention…
- Say “Ready” and start raising baby up, in a deliberate lift movement…
- and “GO!” at the highest point of the lift
- Slight pause then lower baby towards the water, watching for reactions…
- Calmly submerge baby fully, (head in) with smooth movement dragging forward (open hands/let go)…
- Gently bring baby up to surface and swim baby to shoulder for praise!
Progressions:
1. Relaxing hold on baby and opening their hands
2. Let go of baby in the water.
Activities:
1. Rainy Rainbow
2. Taking turns – Parent submerges/ baby submerges
3. From one side to the other side. Reward with toy at edge.
4. After a song in the water.
5. After a song in a circle, then turn to face parent.
Submersions and Agreed Swims
| Once submerging and letting go has been achieved – we move to directional movement, increasing time in the water, resurfacing, independent swimming and holding on skills. 1. Submerge and Swims 2. Parent to Edge and hold on 3. Steps to Parent |
1. Submerge and ‘Swim’ – Facing Parent/ Duck Dive/ Dolphin Dives
Progressing from submerging baby and letting go, parent can gently encourage baby to move freely in the water firstly towards them (parent), and then encourage baby to face away from them while submerging. As baby/ toddler learn to hold their breath for longer, the can spends more time exploring free movement in the water.
Facing Parent
Parent holds baby in front float hold and submerges baby towards them, stepping back for a longer swim.
- Parent holds baby in front float hold at arms length…
- Calls their name, getting eye contact and attention…
- Say “Ready” and start raising baby up, in a deliberate lift movement…
- and “GO!” at the highest point of the lift
- Slight pause then lower baby towards the water, watching for reactions…
- Calmly submerge baby fully, (head in) with smooth movement dragging forward (open hands/let go)…
- Let go – Baby explores the water, moving freely- Parent can put goggles on and watch their baby in the water if they want!
- Encourage baby/toddler to swim up to surface, collect and praise!
Activities:
1. One side to other side. Toy reward.
2. After a song in the water.
3. After a song in a circle – Turn baby to face parent.
4. Parent submerges to meet baby in the water.
Duck Dives
Holding baby in front swim position allowing for an exaggerated lift and lower.
(Ensure parent doesn’t increase the speed during the dive, it may frighten the child).
- Parent holds baby in front swim position and/or flip flops baby
- Say “Ready” and start raising baby up in a deliberate lift movement…and turns baby towards them slightly calls baby’s name… getting eye contact attention (and correct position to watch for baby’s reactions).
- Saying “GO!” at the highest point of the lift
- Lowers baby towards the water, watching for reactions…
- Calmly submerge, with smooth movement and dragging forward…
- Letting go – Baby explores the water – Parent can put goggles on and watch their baby in the water if they want!
- Encourage baby/toddler to swim up to surface, collect and praise!
Activities:
1. Rainy Rainbow
2. Towards a toy in or under the water
3. One side to the other. Toy reward.
4. After a song in the water
5. After a song in big circle – Submerge to middle, come up to meet friends.
6. Through a big hoop
Dolphin Dives (very basic version)
Dolphin Dives; Parent lifts baby in exaggerated lift and lower movement and at the highest point tips baby forward into a dive position, so baby enters head and shoulders first, submerging ‘down and forward’ and resurfacing gently at the top of the water; in very basic dolphin dive movement.
- Parent holds baby in front swim position and/or flip-flops
- Parent turns baby towards them slightly calls baby’s name… getting eye contact attention (and correct position to watch for baby’s reactions).
- Say “Ready” and start raising baby up in a deliberate lift movement…
- and “GO!” at the highest point of the lift tips baby forward..
- Slight pause as parent breathes in and shuts mouth…
- Lowering baby towards the water, watching for reactions…
- Baby’s head and shoulders enter first, at the lowest point of the dive parent tips baby up towards surface and let’s go for baby to swim up to surface.
- Collect and praise!
Activities:
1. Rainy Rainbow
2. Towards a toy in the water
3. After a song
4. In a circle – Submerge to middle
5. Collect a Sinker – (Aim towards it, then collect after submersion)
6. Through a big hoop
Remember to give confident baby/toddlers good breaks, to ensure they have enough Oxygen getting to their brain… 1-3 year old’s breaths 24-40 times a minute!! (Compared to Adults: 12-16 breaths per minute).
2. Parent to Edge + hold on
Encouraging baby’s and toddlers to swim towards the edge and hold on is a safety skill we want to teach. Our goal is for baby’s to learn to hold on to the edge and keep their head out of the water independently.
- Parent holds baby/toddler facing the poolside. In front swim position.
- Parent gives cues, submerges baby and let’s go.
- Baby/toddler ‘swims’ to pool edge and holds on.
- Parent follows baby/toddler in to edge and praise. If needed parent collects baby at waist/hips or seat and guiding them to edge to hold on and praise!
Activities:
1. Submerge and Swim towards toy on the edge.
2. After a song, face the edge. Submerge and hold on.
3. Swim across the pool (in different ways) and when close to edge- Submerge to hold on.
4. Submerge and resurface at steps.
5. Jump/fall in from a big float, submerge and swim to edge or step.
6. Toddler safety awareness game – Swim around the pool and when teacher says “Swim to the side, hold on safe” parent-baby pairs look and find closest edge – then submerge to hold on. Explaining safety of holding on or climb out if can.
Remember to give confident baby/toddlers good breaks, to ensure they have enough Oxygen getting to their brain… 1-3 year old’s breaths 24-40 times a minute!! (Compared to Adults: 12-16 breaths per minute).
3. From Steps to Parent
Encouraging baby/toddler to launch themselves into the water to a parent, gradually increasing the distance to parent.
- Baby/ toddler sits on the steps supported if needed (or on big float)
- Parent gives Cues and Baby/toddler launches ‘forward and in’ to the water. If needed parent can assist baby/ toddler while entering the water and steps back to make space for a short swim.
- Baby floats/swims; letting baby explore free movement in the water – Parent can put goggles on and watch their baby in the water, if they want!
- Then smoothly collect baby/ toddler to shoulder and praise!
When children are independently launching in parents should stay on the spot or move back for longer swims in child’s reach (with their arms stretched out so that can recover when needed).
Activities:
1. Steps– Rocket countdown!
2. Steps – Throw a toy, launch in after it.
3. Steps – Launch and swim to collect toy on other side.
4. Big float – Song and ‘fall’ in/ jump in and swim to parent
5. Big float -Throw a toy to parent, ‘fall’/jump in, and swim to parent collecting toy.
Remember to give confident baby/toddlers good breaks, to ensure they have enough Oxygen getting to their brain… 1-3 year old’s breath 24-40 times a minute!! (Compared to Adults: 12-16 breathes per minute).