Without a swimming course: this is how you get children used to water

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

Some jump boldly into the water, others screech with every drop: But it is essential that children learn to swim safely. An expert explains how this can work during Corona.

It was not easy for non-swimmers in the past few months: many pools were closed due to corona, and swimming courses were canceled in a row. Even now, courses are only possible for small groups - and what will happen in autumn is uncertain. How should children learn to swim now? And can parents perhaps replace the swimming instructor?

The situation was difficult even before Corona, says Alexander Gallitz. He is the President of the German Swimming Teachers Association. Overall, there are too few swimming lessons. Now the situation has worsened again. "The backlog of children who can't swim yet will increase," he believes.

The overview shows what parents can do to make it easier for their children to get started in the water:

Get children used to water

That kids can swim safely, do the seahorse and other badges is important. But Gallitz is about more: "It's about moving through the water without fear." This includes submerging your head or opening your eyes underwater. And with this introduction to the water, the parents come into play: "You can do this in a playful way in the bathtub or at the edge of the pool, even without a swimming course. For example, diving in with the children or blowing out the air underwater."

The problem here: Many adults would be afraid of the water themselves and do not like wet eyes or ears. Then of course it will be difficult to turn the children into fear-free water rats.

Don't become a teacher yourself

Given canceled swimming courses or long waiting lists, some parents may come up with the idea of ​​teaching their children to swim. "But I advise against that," says Gallitz. On the one hand, parents naturally have a completely different relationship with their child, and they often lack the necessary distance. In addition, children in a group trust each other more and look at things from others. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that parents teach children technically wrong things that are difficult to correct later. If in doubt, children have to relearn completely again.

Refresh your knowledge

Corona not only keeps non-swimmers away from the pool edge. Children who have just freshly made their seahorses before the pandemic and were now able to exercise much less are also affected. "Parents have to stay tuned now," says Gallitz. Because whoever has the seahorse is not yet a safe swimmer. This includes a lot of exercise and regular swimming practice.

If parents notice that their child suddenly finds it difficult to dive underwater or even says that they are afraid of the water, they should take a step back. It is best to spend some more time getting used to the water. So to pour water over your head with the watering can, to dive together and to feel your way again.

Remain persistent

"Swimming is a lifelong process," says Gallitz. It is particularly important to him to make parents aware of this. At the same time, he wants to raise awareness of the importance of safe swimming.

So don't give up if the waiting list in the public swimming pool is too long. It is often easier to find a place in a private course. There are usually fewer children there, and it is easier to adhere to the rules of distance. Or you can team up with other parents and book a private teacher. (lv / dpa)

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