6 MONThs - 1 year old will learN thE roll back to float
All photos property of Sue Goldberg
Children who are crawling (generally 6-8 months) through about 14 months will learn survival floating. He or she will be taught to rotate from a face down position in the water to a back float. The child will be taught to rest and breathe on his or her back until help arrives. You can expect that the typical infant will attend 4 lessons per week for an average of 3-5 weeks to attain these skills
Lessons approx 10-15 minutes
1-6 years old will learn the swim float swim
All photos property of Sue Goldberg
A child who is walking or very close to walking (usually anytime after 12 months to about 8 years) will learn a swim-float-swim sequence. He or she will be taught to swim face down using arms and legs (similar to a freestyle stroke); roll on his or her back to float, rest and breathe when he or she needs air; and then flip over onto his or her stomach to continue swimming until he or she reaches the wall or stairs. This swim-float-swim sequence can be repeated as many times as is necessary to reach safety. Lessons approx 15 mins.
Once skilled, a practice in clothes is essential
All photos property of Sue Goldberg
After accomplishing these skills in a bathing suit, children
will then practice their skills in summer clothing and then progress onto winter clothing. This additional work is critical to survival swimming because most children who find themselves in the water are alone fully clothed.
