What it is
Walk on hands or elbows, staying low to the surface of the water. The whole purpose of this class is FUN.
Essentials
- "Walk on hands or elbows. Stay low to the surface of the water."
- "Ask swimmers to 'kiss the water' frequently."
- "Lay flat, use feet to kick."
- "Introduce challenges while moving like, 'you can only walk with one hand. The other must push against the water only.'"
- Instructor must be in the water, not standing.
- Keep swimmers low to the surface; avoid shoulders lifting out.
Progression
- Alligator walks (zero-depth best) — "bread and butter skill."
- Playing games (cruise ship game, staff-invented games, Swimming Ideas game list).
What goes wrong
- Dry instructor / instructor towering over students: The instructor must lay down in the water, get their head wet, and play at the swimmers' level.
- Using stairs instead of zero-depth: Stairs can be cramped, restrict movement, and create fear of falling into deep water.
- Shoulders out: Swimmers lifting shoulders out of the water; keep them low to the surface.
How you know it worked
Swimmers are moving low to the surface, kissing the water, and engaged in playful challenges while the instructor is in the water with them.
How you teach it
This is the most crucial class for a swim instructor to lay down in the water, get their head wet, and play. Do alligator walks frequently to move around the shallow water, to encourage putting face in the water, and have fun. Introduce challenges while moving.
Games that build an imaginary world with consistent rules work best. For example, pretend a kick-board is a cruise ship. Stack some toys on it and have swimmers all hold on to the cruise ship. Move around your shallow end or zero-depth. Stop at different locations and play with the toys. If a toy falls off, a swimmer must rescue it by kissing the water or putting their whole face in water.
Encourage staff to invent their own games or reference the Swimming Ideas game list on the website.