Teaching Swim Confidence for Kids [5 Tips!]

This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Learning to swim can be a process for your kids. SwimWays helps with products aimed at helping parents and kids gain confidence in any body of water.

Since my parents have a pool, the girls were introduced to water quite early. Yet, swimming confidence came much later for all three of my girls. Different helpers from SwimWays have been a lifesaver for us–I love that they have various stages! We started with the Spring Floats when they’re babies to get their legs in the water and then graduate to swim vests and the awesome Swim Step 3 Power Swimr.

SwimWays is our go to brand for pool products because the price is always perfect and they keep up with all of our favorite movie characters. We like to shop SwimWays at Toys R Us using coupons, both in store and online! Watch early seasonal sales and deals! They’re truly a leader in helping children learn to swim with confidence!

Each year, SwimWays is a leader in helping children learn to swim and promoting water safety as evidenced by the 6th annual National Learn to Swim Day that took place on May 20, 2017.

Even though our home pool isn’t very deep (around 3 feet), in the beginning of this season I wanted to make sure Gabby still had her bearings when it came to swimming. The Power Swimr vest was perfect! There are 9 removable floats that allow your kiddos to adjust stages as they grow more confident. All 9 floats keep them completely upright, yet as you remove them they’ll be more horizontal in the water. There are adjustable cords and a support strap to ensure a snug fit. Graduated support gives parents a swim training system – all the tools kids need to feel empowered in the water!

Aside from swim helpers, here are 5 tips to help with water confidence:

Take your time! I have found that either kids are overly excited to swim and rush steps or super scared when they start off. Many times the overly confident kiddos can rush, scaring them. Make sure you take your time with your kiddo by allowing them to be in a vest or float as long as possible.
Not all water is the same. Pools, oceans and lakes are different ballparks, obviously. Even though the bodies of water aren’t very deep, be sure to bring swim helpers to the beach with you. My girls wear at least swim arms while playing in the lake.
Frequent Breaks. Remember that swimming is great exercise and breaks will be needed!
Be their biggest cheerleader. As a parent, it can be hard to let your little one take risks when it comes to water. Stick by their side and let them explore a bit–being their cheerleader helps build confidence.
Every kiddo is different. My twins are polar opposites when it comes to swimming. One was jumping off the diving board after one summer and the other one JUST warmed up to the deep end last summer, at age 7. Be patient and ensure the kids each get the attention and cheerleading they need.

After a few days practicing in our pool, Gabby is ready for my parent’s larger pool with her Power Swimr! She loves that she’s now able to stick her head underwater, a task she was too scared to do last summer. I can’t wait to see how much she’ll grow as a swimmer this summer. We’ve taken out 4 of the layers and the vest is so helpful.