My 3-year-old daughter is in her third swimming lesson without my wife or me in the water. She’s in Level 1. And she’s beenthatkid — the one crying on the side of the pool, clinging to us like we’re about to abandon her to flail in the water alone.
I feel for her. I empathize with her. I know that fear. But we followed the same protocol I preach on this site. Theswim instructorsand the Lesson Coordinator followed the standard procedures we use with every scared swimmer, regardless of age (but most often with 3-year-olds transitioning from Parent Tot to Level 1).
The Protocol That Worked
Here’s what we did:
- I walked her in holding her hand.
- We sat on the side together.
- I had her play with toys. She picked out some toys to play with. Then I sat back against the wall while she played with those toys in front of her swim class.
- The instructor gave her a series of super easy, achievable tasks: throwing toys in the pool, pouring buckets of water on infant pouring toys, and finally asking her to sit on the edge and then get in.
- I left briefly after they built a rapport. Then my daughter started swimming in the lesson like she hadn’t spent 25 out of 30 minutes the second week crying and refusing to participate.
The guidelines from theLesson Coordinator Handbookwork! From page 67:
I Also Saw the Need for a Lesson Plan
Thankfully, we havelesson plans. It’s super easy for aswim instructorto forget thelesson planon the side of the deck and “wing it.”
Unfortunately, winging it leads to unstructured activities and swimmers developing bad habits — struggling to breathe because distances are too long, or fighting with their head up instead of doing high repetitions of high-quality practice.
In this case, the swim instructor was GREAT. From a parent perspective, I was super happy! But from an aquatic professional’s perspective, I knew the lesson could be even better if the instructor followed the Level 1 Day 1 lesson plan. So the LC gave her a copy of it, and the lesson dramatically shifted from “What do you want to do?” type of play to “This is what we’re doing now” activities and challenges.
The Key Takeaway: Swim Instructors NEED to Use Lesson Plans
Watching my daughter swim was a reminder: swim instructors need to use lesson plans until they can deliver high-quality lessons without the structure the plans provide.
It isn’t that instructors tell swimmers the wrong things. It’s that they’re not professionals yet. They’re not earning a salary, benefits, and bringing in hundreds of kids every season. They’re mostly in high school — good-hearted, well-meaning, and earnest, but not experts. Every minute, every word, and every action aren’t deliberately crafted through honed experience, trial and error, and attention.
But we can get close to that expertise when high school swim instructorsuse the lesson plans!
Conclusion: Structured Plans Build Confident Swimmers
The success of my 3-year-old daughter’s swimming lessons is a testament to the effectiveness of structured lesson plans and the dedication of skilled instructors. It’s a powerful reminder that with the right approach, even the most hesitant swimmers can gain confidence and skills in the water.
As we continue to nurture young talents, let’s ensure that our swim instructors are equipped with the necessary tools and lesson plans to provide high-quality instruction. Embracing these resources not only enhances the learning experience but also brings us closer to achieving excellence in aquatics.
If you’re interested in implementing these proven strategies, I encourage you to download our free lesson plans or join our community as a member today. Together, we can make a splash in the world ofswimming instruction!
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