Greetings Swim School Families!

As you know, we wrap up our programming for the year tomorrow.  We hope you have enjoyed watching your child progress and shared in their enjoyment as much as we have.  We want to send you off with a few friendly reminders as pools and lakes and rivers open and warm up and we all head out to them for fun!

1. Swim lessons, no matter how strong the instructor or program was, are never a substitute for adult supervision around a body of water.  Remember there are so many variables that a child may not have experienced in lessons: water temperature, waves, currents, distance to a wall, ladder or boat, activity of others around them, child's level of fatigue that particular day, and more.  Always commit to keeping a close eye on your child when taking them to a water venue.  Thank you!

2. Your facility's "swim test" is not a substitute for adult supervision, despite what they may promote.

3. And finally, floaties, noodles or kick boards are also not substitutes for our close adult supervision.  Those pieces of equipment can actually create very dangerous body positions that a novice swimmer cannot get out of.  Always closely supervise your child when using ANY non-Coast Guard approved jackets, pool equipment or toys.  We want everyone to return home safely and full of fond memories.

That being said, have fun!  And keep those skills in check!  Here's a bit of "homework" you could try with your child, while supervising them, if you're motivated to keep skills intact!

1. Bubbles!  Always encourage gentle exhales under the water after a filling breath in above it.  Play with the speed of the exhale (we are going for slow!) or add bobs to introduce an inhale/exhale rhythm!  An advanced swimmer should transition to very slowly exhaling out their nose after that filling breath in above the water!!

2. Body position!  Once your child has breath control down, it's time to get on the surface of the water in proper floats.  

a. Try supported, then unsupported front floats, with arms and legs RELAXED and open on the surface of the water.  Face is in the water with head relaxed and in line with the spine after catching a filling breath in.  Grow to holding this for 10 seconds.  RELAX!

b. Try supported, then unsupported back floats, gently sliding into them with arms and legs RELAXED and open, head is back until ears are submerged, tummy is up, while toes are not out of the water.  Grow to holding this for 10 seconds. RELAX and REST!

c. If your child can independently get into both floats and hold them for 10-15 seconds, it's time for float rolls.  Have them try rolling from front to back, and back to front, while keeping the spine straight and arms open!   We need stay on the surface of the water for this, and don't push off the bottom.  Head needs to stay right on the water surface and not lift up.  It's hard, something to work on!  Exhale gently every time your face passes through the surface of the water for best comfort!  This skill is the best tool for safety in deep water you can gift a young child!

3. Kick time!  Once a child can attain proper body position on the surface, it's time to propel, to move!  Introduce that crucial flutter kick!  Little!  Fast!  They can hold onto steps, or hold the bottom of a kick board with arms extended, or push a noddle forward!  We always introduce flutter kick in proper body position - meaning face is in after catching a breath, head is relaxed and in line with spine!  Encourage them to drop that face in and establish a little fast flutter kick! (Our arms should be extended and touching our ears in glide position here, not arms open as in a float.)

That's enough with the homework!  Now go and have fun and please let us know if we can serve you in any way this summer: either through Knollwood's weekday morning group lessons or via private instruction with any of our Swim School instructors!  We are happy to help.

See you on deck!  It's been a true joy!

Warmly, Kelly Dobrydney