Alternative Pools
According to Finn Cardiff, CEO, and founder of Beachgoer, there are many fun DIY alternatives you can use instead of a full-size swimming pool. As long as you have a spot to place your DIY swimming pool, you’re good to go. Even if its a tub! Chris DeJong, the founder of Big Blue Swim School also suggests doing whatever you can to at least get your kid comfortable with water.
Getting Started with Babies
The most important thing is getting babies acquainted with water. You can do this by making balloon faces while at the same time gently pouring water from the back of their head to the front. This will teach them about holding their breath. DeJong also suggests starting by letting your baby float on their backs to feel the water around their ears. Of course, this needs to be done extremely gradually and carefully, all within the bounds of what is comfortable for your little one. The idea though is to just allow them to feel it out in the water.
Slowly But Surely
The more your baby feels at home in the water, the better he or she will be at taking the plunge. Once that happens, going underwater and managing the breathing is far easier. This is a step towards freely padding around and then ultimately making finer strokes and staying afloat. Of course, eventually, you will need to graduate to an actual pool for the bigger kids when start practicing the movements. Luckily there are many public pools you can take your kids to.