Our main goal is for baby to relax and enjoy time being on their backs in the water, so they are buoyant and feel themselves floating on the water surface.
There are a number of different float holds to show parents how to hold their baby/ toddler in the water, comfortably and secure.
The age, experience and confidence of the individual baby/ toddler will all effect how they react to be on their back in the water and how they need to be supported.
Parents should talk, have eye contact (when possible) and relax with their baby/ toddler.
Looking for baby/toddler’s back of head and ears to be in the water.
Toys/ Mirrors/ Tunnel bridges can be used to help entertain baby on their back in these holds as well as a number of floating/kicking songs and games!
Baby and Toddlers should be encouraged to kick their legs while in these float holds and feel the buoyancy on their bodies.
*Remember some babies/toddlers aren’t great back floaters. Respect the baby/toddler and go at their pace. Never force a child into a back float. Try mixing up holds with the baby/toddler – if they are not willing, stop and play something else as happiness is essential!
*Independent back floats should only be attempted with an individual Parent-baby pair, with the teachers agreement and guidance. Never do as a ‘group’ activity!
6 Weeks to 6 Months
| Younger babies who have not yet started sitting up, will enjoy gentle introductions to floating on their back and should be content and relaxed when supported in back floats. Parents are able to work on back floats with baby for a longer period of time around 7 minutes. Giving baby lots of back floating experience this early will increase the likelihood they will enjoy experiences on their back when older. Babies are encouraged to move their legs on their back, parents can hold babies legs and do kick leg action. They can bend and stretch baby’s legs to encourage leg movements. |
Back Holds
Holds:Cradle Hold:
Open Cradle hold from the Cradle hold, parent opens their arm out (the arm the baby’s head is on) and stretches it out into the water, leaving a slightly bent at the elbow, for baby’s head to lay. Parent’s other hand supports and corrects baby’s seat/lower back in to floating position. Baby experiences buoyancy.
Swing dips
Progression from cradling, parent rocks baby from upright to reclining position, feet first. Parent can remove the seat hand while in the dip part of the swing dip for baby to float and experience the buoyancy of their body.
Varying time, length and rhyme of the swings and dips – baby enjoys and relaxes with the rush of water up their body, and relaxes into floating hold.
Supported Back Float
Baby/toddlers head rests on parents shoulder/ top of chest,
Parents arm stretch down babies body at the side they are on and parents other hand supporting back float position.
Helping baby to relax and feel comfortable on their back.
Parents can gently lower their shoulders down into the water, getting back of baby’s head and ears in the water.
Lots of communication with baby/child, eye contact.
Parent holds back of baby’s legs just below knees and helps with kicking.
If baby/ toddler is comfortable parent can move baby off their shoulder into the water in front of them – into Head and Shoulder Supported Float.
Head and Shoulder Supported back Float
Younger babies – Parent gently supports back of baby’s head and shoulders, with both hands and fingers stretched out, underneath and thumbs rest over shoulders.
Floating young babies in gentle relaxed swishing and side to side motions.
Older babies/ toddlers are supported under the arms and shoulders, with relaxed hands. Flip-flops from front into back position.
Floating hold
Parent uses both hands; one hand supporting back of baby’s head and other hand supporting baby’s seat in reclined position. Parent can use whole arms behind head if they want, back of baby’s head in the crease of their elbow.
As baby is relaxed and comfortable, gently remove hand/fingertips off the seat – Allowing baby to feel the float on their body.
Tell parent to watch for baby/toddlers body movements when they remove their hand. As babies explore free movement in the water, they start to correct and maintain their own buoyancy . Parent can also correct and help baby continue the float.
Side to Side Swishing Parent holds baby in head and shoulder supported float or if semi reclining under the arms and moves baby side to side swishing and bigger figure of eight movements.
Woggles can be used to float and swim together on back. Encourage parents to do this in playtime rather than an activity. Due to space and parents confidence.
Arms: Reflex arm movements – arms curled in to chest and stretch out.
Legs: Reflex leg movements – legs curl up to chest and hold feet. Moves legs in the water. “Kick, Kick”
Head: Back of head and ears in the water.
Body: Buoyant, Floating. Wiggling and jerking (reflex) movements.
6 Weeks to 6 Months
Progressive practices:
- Introduce Cradling hold. (Stationary)
- Cradling Hold and movement on the spot.
- Open Cradle Hold.
- Introduce Open Cradle Hold movement on the spot.
- Introduce Open Cradle Hold and move across/around the pool.
- Introduce Gentle Swing Dips (Stationary)
- Gentle swing dips and twirl around on the spot.
- Introduce Head and Shoulder Supported Back Float (Stationary)
- Head and Shoulder Supported Back Float and move across the pool.
- Side to Side Swishing and move across/ around the pool.
- Introduce Floating Hold (Stationary)
- Floating Hold and twirl around on the spot.
- Swing Dips to Open Cradle/Floating Hold and move around the pool.
- Introduce Supported Back Float (Stationary)
6 Months -12 Months
| Older babies aged 6-12 months are rolling over and sitting up (reflex they have developed), so reclining on their back becomes a little more work. Parent must support baby’s head in back floats so they are not straining, and sit them up for short breaks to maintain happiness. Back floats and swims become more lively with more variety and movement – swishing, swinging and figure of eight in semi reclining positions, helps baby relax and continue to enjoy back floating experiences. |
Holds:
- Open Cradle hold
- Swing Dips
- Floating hold
- Head and Shoulder Supported Back Float
- Supported Back floats
- Side to Side Swishing
- Snake Floating
- Independent Floating (option)
- 2 short woggles
Woggles can be used to float and swim together on back. Encourage parents to do this in playtime rather than an activity. Due to space and parents confidence.
Arms: Reflex to voluntary arm movements, swishing in the water.
Legs: Reflex to voluntary leg movements, legs curl up to chest and hold feet. Bending, stretching and wiggling in the water. “Kick, Kick”
Head: Back of head and ears in the water.
Body: Buoyant, Floating, wiggling, jerking (reflex) movements. Movements to explore and maintain float position in the water.
6 Months -12 Months
Progressive Practices:
- Swing Dip’s/ Open Cradle/ Floating Hold and movement on the spot.
- Swing Dip’s to Open Cradle or Floating Hold and move across/around the pool.
- Side to Side Swishing
- Introduce Bobbing and Back Bunny Hops
- Introduce Zig-zagging/ Snake floating across/around the pool.
- Introduce Supported Back Float and move across/around the pool.
- Supported Back Float, and roll baby into front swim position.
- Head and Shoulders Supported Back Float and move across/ around the pool.
- Introduce 2 short woggles underarms and drag backwards through the water.
- Introduce Independent Floating option.
1 Year – 2 Years
| Practices are lively and fun and often with short breaks and involving bobbing, bouncing, dragging, side to side swishing/ swinging and snake movements. With fast and slow speeds, through the water older babies/ toddlers are encourage to recline into floating positions and enjoy the experience. After lively/fun introduction a more calm float or swim on back can often be performed well. |
Holds:
- Open Cradle/ Floating hold/ Swing Dips
- Supported/ Head and Shoulder Supported Back Float
- Side to Side Swishing and Back Bunny Hops
- Zig-zagging/ Snake Floating
- Independent Floating (option)
- With 2 short woggles
Woggles can be used to float and swim together on back. Encourage parents to do this in playtime rather than an activity. Due to space and parents confidence.
Arms: Voluntary arm movements, swishing in the water and stretching out.
Legs: Voluntary leg kicks movements, legs bending and stretching in the water. “Kick, Kick”
Head: Back of head and ears in the water
Body: Buoyant, Floating. Relaxed wiggling movements. Learning to correct body position when falling out of float, to maintain it.
1 Year – 2 Years
Progressive Practices:
- Swing Dip’s to Open Cradle or Floating Hold and movement on the spot.
- Swing Dip’s to Open Cradle or Floating Hold and move across/around the pool.
- Side to Side Swishing
- Bobbing and Back Bunny Hops
- Zig-zagging/ Snake floating across/around the pool.
- Supported / Head and Shoulder Supported/ Independent floating. (Stationary)
- Supported Back Float and move across/around the pool.
- Supported Back Float, and roll baby into front swim position.
- Head and Shoulders Supported Back Float and move across/ around the pool.
- 2 short woggles – Dragging back wards and encouraging semi-reclining position to reclining with head back in the water.
- Independent Floating option.
2 Years – 3 Years
| Practices must be lively, creative and entertaining. Parents can agree back floats and swims across the pool. Child knows how long they will floating and kicking for. Using counting games and trying to keep the child’s engagement with toys, mirrors and ‘looking for things in the sky’. After a fun vigorous, lively activity on back, often an improved float or swim can be achieved in calmer activity. |
Back bunny hops/ Bobbing
Holding baby under the arms and bobbing baby, into reclining/ semi-reclining position, while dragging baby backwards through the water. Parent bounces baby and drags backwards through the water.
Snake floating
Parent holding baby in head and shoulder support back float or under the arms and walks backwards (fast and slow) and zig zag through the water, creating big and small, side to side swishes, and figure of eight movements. Mixed with bobbing up and down, and twirling around. Making the float fun and enjoyable for older babies/toddlers.
Independent floating
From the Floating Hold.
Baby should be happily moving about in the water, (not completely still) parent can gradually move to fingertips support on the head, using other hand/fingertips to gently keep baby in floating position. Parent keeps both hands under baby ready to support them if fall out of the float.