Guidelines for teaching swimming in kindergarten

Swimming is one of the most useful, early sports, which has virtually no contraindications. The section accepts children aged 3 years and older. Swimming for children can be both sporting and recreational.

Its benefits are due to the combination of physical activity and the healing properties of water. Little-known facts about the benefits of swimming for children.

What are the benefits of swimming for children?

Much has been said about the benefits of swimming for children, but in addition to well-known truths, such as harmonious physical development and strengthening the nervous system, this sport also has a number of positive qualities that parents need to know about, namely:

• Improvement of cognitive functions. Early exercise in water stimulates the areas of the brain responsible for cognitive functions. According to research results, children who participated in the pool from three to five years old are significantly ahead of their peers in reading, literacy and mathematics;
• Reducing the risk of accidents on the water. By exercising in the pool, your child will not encounter a water accident in the future. Here he will be taught how to behave correctly in extreme situations in order to get to the shore and not drown, because, as we know, the most common cause of drowning is panic;
• Developing independence and determination. Swimming, like any sport, makes children courageous, purposeful and independent. These qualities will allow them to achieve great success in the future, and this applies not only to sports, but also to their career and personal life. According to statistics, swimmers most often become successful businessmen and scientists.

In general, swimming can be called the most useful sport, especially for preschool children. Regular classes will help strengthen all body systems, which will have a positive effect on the child’s further education in primary school.

Children's aqua

The new children's aqua also offers swimming lessons for children in Moscow.

Teaching swimming to children over 3 years old in a pool without parents is especially popular because it is from this age that children are able to study in groups with a coach, hear his commands and perform exercises independently. The pool also offers individual lessons with an instructor.

Children's training includes a large number of playful elements, while older children practice in a more serious manner, learning different swimming styles and practicing breathing exercises.

“Octopussy” also practices infant swimming using the Brightlight method, which helps mother and baby experience complete unity with the aquatic environment and with each other, which is very important at such an early age.

The water temperature in the pool is 33 degrees. Water is disinfected by ultraviolet light with ozonation and moderate chlorination, which is considered one of the most modern cleaning methods.

Children's pool from 3 years old "Osminozhka" is suitable for residents of the Eastern Administrative District, as it is located next to the Shchelkovskaya metro station at the address: st. 16th Parkovaya, no. 51.

The cost of a subscription for 8 classes is 6,400 rubles (800 rubles per class). The same subscription, but with individual training, will cost 12,000 rubles (1,500 rubles per lesson).

Types of swimming

Competitive swimming includes several disciplines. At first, children engage in general swimming, but later they need to choose a direction for further development.

The sections teach the following disciplines:

• Crawl. This is the fastest type of movement in water. Front crawl is also called free style. The crawl also happens on the back. This discipline is considered one of the most dynamic and spectacular in competitions. To practice crawling, you need such data as endurance, physical strength and reaction speed;
• Breaststroke. This type is the most silent, which is why it was used during hostilities. Breaststroke swimmers must have strong arms, because the arms are the main tool for moving through the water in this discipline. The main difficulty of breaststroke is considered to be mastering breathing, because you cannot swim with your head raised above the water;
• Butterfly. Most often, butterfly is perceived as a type of breaststroke, but this is a mistaken opinion. This discipline is characterized by high speeds and serious physical exertion. This type takes on guys with good physical characteristics and impressive muscle mass;
• Synchronized swimming. This discipline is significantly different from others, because it is a dance in water, which requires serious endurance and endurance from athletes. This discipline is considered a women's sport. Girls should have a sense of rhythm and flexibility. Girls from the gymnastics section often come here.

There are other types of swimming, but they are not included in the competition program and are considered amateur. These include frog, Georgian and doggy styles.

Where to start learning

There is a general scheme that is applicable for any age of students.

It includes the following initial steps:

• breath,
• footwork, achieving coherence of their work and breathing,
• hand work,
• accustoming the body to coordinated work of legs and arms and breathing.

The whole process is a gradual passage of the above points. It is important to study each of them and move on to the next only after completely mastering the previous one.

You should not rush to follow the presented scheme; in addition, it is important to approach the study comprehensively - after all, mastering footwork, for example, does not mean that you can forget about proper breathing for a while, or allow your hands to be completely idle.

Hastily going through all the points of the scheme can lead to the formation of an initially incorrect stereotype .

Example: if you immediately start teaching your legs, but at the same time swim with your head held high, a person can very quickly begin to move in the water in this way, but the main element - breathing - will remain unmastered. Further along the chain, the legs will work incorrectly when swimming - after all, they are primarily coordinated with breathing, and if this connection is not worked out properly, most likely, when swimming, the legs will be almost inactive, or their movement will be ineffective. In addition, according to the rules of balance, with your head raised, your legs will be far from the surface of the water and will work less efficiently.

If a person has not learned to breathe comfortably when swimming , to exhale into the water, and is not used to holding his face calmly in the water, he will instinctively dodge the splashes , which will increase not only the physical, but also the psychological stress when swimming, especially during long swims.

The physical load during swimming is great - almost all human muscles work when swimming, so the need for oxygen will only increase , and the lack of a developed habit of inhaling and exhaling rhythmically can turn swimming into self-torture.

Therefore, from the very beginning you should master everything without haste and not strive to swim as quickly as possible.

Proper rhythmic breathing will ultimately make a person a swimmer, able to feel “like a fish in water,” even if at first he does not move very coordinated.

At what age should a child start swimming?

For health purposes, it is recommended to send children swimming in infancy. In such sections, mothers visit the pool with their children; children from 3 years old are recruited for classes. At such a young age, group classes are also recreational in nature and prepare the baby for a future sports career.

They begin to study professionally at the age of 7. At this time, schoolchildren have already decided on the main direction and begin to prepare for competitions and performances. When registering a young athlete in a professional section, it is necessary to take out insurance for the child. The cost of insurance depends on the insurance period and completeness of coverage.

Group or individual?

It is important to understand that all children are different and each is unique in their own way.
Some guys need rivals and healthy competition to move forward. For others, on the contrary, it is easier to achieve success solo. It all depends on the athlete’s temperament, upbringing and personal characteristics. We recommend trying both interaction formats if you find it difficult to choose. It is important to select a coach with whom your child will feel calm and relaxed. Only in this state will he be able to trust a stranger and join the learning process. Admission of students to swimming sections for children is by appointment only. To clarify the data, contact the employees of the water complex by phone +7, we will select the optimal time and offer an effective program. All the necessary information is also posted on the official website of the complex.

Swimming lessons in the pool for children

Swimming classes in the pool can be divided into recreational and sports. Even if you have enrolled your child in the section, for the first year he will engage in recreational swimming. This is necessary to build muscle mass, familiarize yourself with the technique and adapt the body to frequent exposure to water.

When exercising in a swimming pool, the following side effects may occur due to the high chlorine content:

• Skin rashes and peeling;
• Inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract.

If after exercising in the pool you notice these manifestations in your child, consult a doctor; you may need to change the pool or choose a different sport for him.

Breaststroke

Likewise, first of all, we recommend that you study our separate articles about breaststroke technique and training in this style; below are the main points.

The main difficulty in learning the breaststroke style is mastering the algorithm of footwork..

Algorithm of leg movements in breaststroke

This is quite difficult, you need to control the complex sequence of movements (rotation of the feet, flexion and extension), the overall coherence and symmetry of the legs.

On the land

• squats and lifts with support against the wall, with the toes turned out as much as possible, the heels do not come off the floor, the knees are separated as much as possible;
• the same as half squats , but you need to kind of jump out of them;
• sit comfortably, rest on your hands (from behind); imitate movement with your feet in a given style: pull your legs up, opening your knees (heels “stick” to the floor); then - turn the feet and straighten the legs;
• The legs should first move under the control of the trainer (he helps to tighten them and then connect them), then, lying with your chest on a bench, repeat on your own, then you can work on a simulator with shock absorption.

In water

• squats;
• standing on one leg, smoothly and correctly make a stroke with the other, you can hold the leg with your hand;
• jumping in the position of heels together, toes apart (“penguins”);
• practicing leg movements with the support of a trainer, then sliding independently on your back and chest;
• swimming with a board.

Arm training

It is important to establish the correct stroke technique :

Breaststroke

Body tilted, hand strokes:

• spread shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, bring them together with your palms turned under your chin;
• straighten your arms to the starting position, take a short pause before repeating;
• to enhance the effect, repeat with an expander;
• add breathing with a countdown: inhale while performing a “stroke” with your arms, exhale while straightening your arms.

Repeat everything on a simulator with a shock absorber.

At waist-deep depth, touch the water with your chin - your hands move in a given style, while you can remain in place or walk along the bottom.

Sliding with hand movements, repeat 2-3 cycles, combined with rhythmic breathing.

Coordination of spent elements on land

Repetition of what you have learned and, at the same time, development of balance - perform breaststroke while standing on one leg.

Improvement

• Bend over so that your chin is in the water. Jump, slide, while simultaneously performing a stroke with your arms . Having finished it, stand on the bottom again, and then repeat.
• Swim breaststroke, coordinating the movements of the arms and legs separately.
• Combine with breathing practice, inhale for two cycles, then more often.

Methods of teaching children to swim

The teaching method depends on the purpose of the lesson. If this is a health section, classes are held 2-3 times a week. Children learn how to float on the water, perform various exercises and learn techniques.

If the goal of the classes is big-time sports, the teaching methodology is aimed not only at lessons in the pool, but also at strengthening the muscle corset and increasing endurance. In this case, training takes place every day. Classes in the pool are replaced by training in the gym and on the treadmill, and they take a dry swimming course.

Basic principles

What to consider?

The choice of a specific methodology and training program is individual and depends on the following factors:

• conditions surrounding students;
• the purpose of obtaining this skill (simply learning to swim or achieving certain heights in the process);
• individual characteristics of each individual person;
• age of students.

This is not a complete list of points that should be taken into account when choosing an approach and organizational issues.

Age

You can start learning at almost any age - both very early and mature. However, it must be taken into account that children under 5 years of age are the most difficult age to learn , since many of them are not yet ready to consciously carry out all the trainer’s tasks.

The period from 6 to 10 years is considered optimal - a person at this age very quickly acquires new qualities and skills. In addition, incorrect motor memory has not yet been formed.

If an adult has been swimming incorrectly all his life, it is possible to retrain him, but it will be more difficult than learning from scratch.

Methods and means of teaching

The methods recommended and used in teaching swimming are substantiated by theory and tested many times in practice.

Methods are divided into three types:

• verbal (explanations, clarifications, analysis and analysis, instructions, commands, orders);
• visual (showing exercises and movements, studying textbooks, visual material in the form of photographs and videos, watching films, gestures and demonstration by the trainer of the necessary subtleties);
• practical (practical exercises, competitions, games in a variety of combinations, with an emphasis on both general coordination and individual elements of the algorithm).

The tools used for studying include:

The swim board is an essential learning tool.

• physical exercise;
• exercise equipment and equipment (swimming boards, circles);
• sources of visual information (posters, videos, photos, films);
• conditions (natural or artificial)

Types of exercises

When learning to swim, the following types of exercises are distinguished:

• general developmental (worked on land);
• preparatory (on the shore and in the water);
• special (designed to be performed in water).

To increase the level of bodily development, general developmental exercises are necessary . Along the way, along with preparing the body for mastering swimming, the condition of the spine and chest is optimized, muscle groups develop, and posture improves. Walking, running, jumping, and elements of gymnastics help the body quickly adapt to stress in the aquatic environment.

Preparatory exercises are somewhat more specialized - gradually focusing on the qualities and abilities of the body that are needed for swimming.

Imitation of movements on land

However, you should not get too carried away with exercises to imitate movements on the shore - you need to move into the water without delay - in order to get used to the aquatic environment.

Swimming accessories

If you decide to send your baby swimming at an early age, you need to purchase accessories that will keep your baby as safe as possible. Without these accessories, your child will not be allowed to attend classes.

You will need to buy:

• Hats. You will need to buy a silicone swimming cap and a cotton cap, which you put on after a shower until your hair is completely dry;
• Glasses. The color of glasses should be chosen according to the lighting. In open water and in pools with strong lighting, dark lenses are suitable, blue and gray are for reducing brightness, orange and brown are for dim pools;
• Earplugs. Pool earplugs are reusable and disposable. Until the baby learns to care for her accessories, it is better to buy disposable pads;
• Oversleeves. Armbands for children are selected according to size. It is important to choose an accessory so that it does not come off your forearm and does not pinch your hand;
• Swimming belt. The smallest swimmers need a belt. This accessory is used only at the learning stage to stay afloat. The belt is selected according to the baby’s weight;
• Swimsuit or swimming trunks (2 pcs.). Girls need to buy one-piece swimsuits, and boys should buy swimming trunks in the form of shorts.

A complete set of accessories costs an average of 3,000 rubles. Also make sure to buy two towels, a washcloth and soap, pool shoes and a comfortable bag. Before enrolling in the section, you will need to undergo a medical examination to exclude contraindications to classes.

Crawl on chest

We have a separate article about learning the crawl - we recommend that you first read it, as well as the article about exercises for the crawl, here we will also give the basic principles of mastering this style.

First of all, it is worth noting that this style is mastered quickly. Taking into account the points listed above, as well as the level of physical development of the student, the duration of the educational process varies.

Mastering the technique occurs comprehensively, in parallel with general developmental and preparatory training.

On the land

• imitation of running in place, feet do not leave the floor, small range of motion;
• sitting down - intense leg swings, imitation of swimming;

  
  Imitation of leg swings

• on your stomach, arms forward, back arched so that you can see your hands - in this position imitate the crawl style.

In water

Connecting breathing techniques with motor ones:

• energetic movements of the legs, you need to hold on to something (the edge of the pool, the trainer’s hands, you can lean on the bottom);
• repeat, but without support, glide through the water;

  
  Sliding exercise in water

• practicing the breathing algorithm while sliding, with both hands at the hips, or one at the hip, the other directed forward; exhale into the water, do not raise your head when inhaling, but turn it;
• use the board; in this case, breathing must be carried out rhythmically, counting the strokes;
• with a board - swim, holding it in your right or left hand.

In the same way, according to the accepted scheme, you should deal with the remaining elements of style and movements:

• twist with your hands (“mill”, work with an expander) on the shore, then in the water;
• general body dynamics;
• training to hone the crawl technique (working separately on the upper and lower extremities, swimming with 2, 6, 8 strokes, hands alternately pressed to the thigh; swimming with a full load for short distances - up to 12 meters).

All complexes vary in accordance with the specific indicators of the student’s body, with an emphasis on mistakes and weaknesses.

We also recommend watching this video about crawl training:

Medical contraindications

Swimming as a sport has a number of contraindications for which exercise in the pool is strictly prohibited, these include:

• Any skin diseases, including dermatitis, scabies, eczema, psoriasis;
• Diseases and injuries of the spine (except for spinal curvature);
• Congenital and acquired heart disease;
• Chronic and acute viral diseases;
• Epilepsy and other disorders of the nervous system with the manifestation of convulsive syndrome.

Also contraindications include a panicky fear of water. If your baby is terribly afraid of water, there is no need to force him to study, this will not solve the problem and will only worsen the psychological problem.