Freestyle Swimming: 4 Tips to Teach Kids to Swim Freestyle

When you want to introduce your kids to swimming, starting from the basic swimming style would be a good idea. You can start with freestyle swimming for kids because it is one of the basic swimming strokes to start from; however, it is not as easy as it seems. 

Teaching freestyle swimming is a general life-saving skill that your kids should learn. Although it doesn’t only limit life-saving, it also helps in living a good life.

To teach your kid freestyle swim, you need a great amount of patience and alertness so that your kids don’t drown in the water. Try to teach freestyle swimming to kids in shallow water so you can control the situation if any.

Being your kids new to swimming, you have to take the necessary steps to teach them in a good way. Let’s look at the steps to teach your kids freestyle swimming:

Start by kicking the legs (A basic swimming trick)

The first time when you let your children in the water, you will notice them moving their legs more frequently. Kicking the legs when one doesn’t know how to swim is natural. While doing this, teach them to keep their legs straight, and toes pointed. 

Follow the following steps to teach your kids freestyle swimming:

• Let your child sit at the poolside. Teach them the basic steps and posture and ask them to try them out of the water. Tell them to extend their legs as far as possible and to keep their toes pointed in the water. Hold the posture for a while and let them practice on their own.
• Check the freestyle swimming posture of your child, if they are able to keep their legs straight while sitting or not. If they can, ask them to try it out on their bellies with their arms extending forward. Move them in an upward and downward motion but be cautious about holding them while doing this.

Breathing skills

Nurture a breathing talent into your kid once a strong kick has been achieved. Your kid must learn to mix left and right-side kicking and breathing in the initial phases. The swimming instructor can even advise their students from the edge of the pool as they paddle and breathe. 

The swimming instructor can even offer feedback to the athletes by using hand gestures while they breathe. Children will learn comfy breathing on both sides with consistent practice, repetitions, and an emphasis on excellence.

It’s normal for youngsters to acquire a preferred side for breathing, and professional swimming demonstrates this.

Breathe timing skills

Isolate one arm at a time when first introducing your kid to freestyle swimming. Give your kid a pull and breathe to the on-deck once more.

The kid learns to breathe both sides as they round the lane by constantly gazing to the same side as they pull and breathe.

Give positive comments to swimmers, and there is no uncertainty about left and right for small youngsters. You will build amazing freestyle techniques with young children very quickly if you have serenity, perseverance, and accuracy.

Skill Building

Learning freestyle swimming is not a one-time thing; your kids have to focus on developing their swimming posture and skill. Let them practice consistently but check all the safety protocols while letting them practice. Don’t let them go deep swimming or they can get drowned.

Keep in mind to teach them slowly while focussing on perfection and developing a love for swimming in your child. Be patient with your child, and follow all the given steps to master the skill of freestyle swimming.