Swimming Lessons?

Question

I am a very good swimmer, and have been asked to teach a kindergardener how to swim.What do I do with her first that will make her understand how to swim. My goal is to teach her back stroke and freestyle.
Thanks

Answer 1

u know u can do the best thing which is to teach her to swim cuz u already know how to swim so try to rememba how u were taught and teach her the same way

i bet ull do great! =]

Answer 2

Start with pool safety and rules. The move onto getting in and out of the water. Teach her to blow bubbles and do it with her. Have her do bobs at the wall to put her face in. Teach her to float on her back. Have her practice her kicking at the wall for awhile and then with a kickboard or while holding your hands as you move through the water backward in front of her (you pulling her while she kicks). Get her used to getting her face wet and teach her how to bob all the way to the bottom of the pool to touch it (taking a deep breath). Teach her how to paddle and kick at the same time. Make sure you never let go of her until she is ready and always reinforce the safety rules. Have her jump off the side and you "catch" her, dunk her under on those jumps when you think she's ready. Have her push off the side and swim to you as she progresses. Then let her stand on your knees and swim back to the wall. Don't forget to always support her and help her when she needs it. Be encouraging and take it slow. Teach her to kick on her back before you add arms, alot of little kids don't like backstroke arms. Encourage her to try new things and always always always make sure she shows her mom or dad something she is learning or has worked on at the end of her lesson. She will be very proud and mom and dad will love it too. the confidence will help her want to get back into the water sooner and try more things.

For more specifics, check out the eHow article below:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5295_teach-child-swim.html

Good luck!!!

Answer 3

Be careful KiKi. you are responsible for the safety of this child, while in your class and debatable even after. without a teaching certification from a reputable organization such as the American Red Cross, you need to be extremely comfortable with the person whose kid you have agreed to teach, and clearly outline your experience and the expectations. you can be held liable should something happen.

you may be a great swimmer yourself, but the mere fact you are asking this question leads me to think you are not prepared. the Water Safety Instructor (WSI) course from the Red Cross will prepare you for this endeavor.

Answer 4

First thing that should always be taught when teaching somebody how to swim is floating on your back. If there is ever any trouble in the water, you should know how to float. It also helps to give you convfidence in the water knowing your not going to drown.