How to teach a child to swim: a quick method for teaching children

June 01, 2018

Averyanova Sveta

It is very difficult to find a child who does not love water. For 9 months a little man swims in the amniotic fluid of his mother, they feed him, warm him, lull him to sleep, they are his natural environment, but after birth it is no longer easy to cope with the familiar elements on his own, he needs the help of an adult. Then every parent faces questions: how to teach a child to swim and at what age can a child be placed in the hands of a professional coach?

At what age can you start teaching your child to swim?

Physiologically, a child has the ability to swim from birth. While in his mother’s womb, he “swimmed” in amniotic fluid for nine months. Once born, a child can instinctively hold his breath and carry out rowing movements with his hands. There is, however, one peculiarity here: if you do not maintain this reflex during the first two months, it fades away.

In the 70s of the last century, scientists from Moscow even conducted research on this topic. Infants aged 1-2 months could easily float on water, and subsequently 80% of them demonstrated high resistance to colds.

Returning to the question of age, swimming training should begin when parents are ready for it. After all, they have to overcome difficulties together with the child and get rid of fears. On the one hand, the older the child, the easier it is to come to an agreement with him. In most cases, he himself already understands the benefits of swimming and is interested in learning.

When it comes to raising a professional swimmer, there is no point in wasting precious years. Sports trainers advise starting training at the age of 4 years. It is during this period that a natural thirst for something new and the physiological ability of the brain to quickly master coordinated movements of the arms and legs are noted.

Benefits of swimming for children

Swimming has the following positive aspects:

The muscles of the body are always in good shape. Active work of the muscles of the whole body while swimming, plus additional warm-up before training - all this will help maintain muscle tone from early childhood.
Active activities are an excellent pacemaker. Any workout, especially swimming, stimulates the functioning of the heart and circulatory system, as the muscles begin to contract several times more actively, and the blood circulates faster. Thus, the process of cardiac stimulation occurs.
Useful for school-age children, as swimming prevents the development of scoliosis. Swimming is an excellent exercise for the whole body, including the spine. Schoolchildren need physical activity, since sitting at school or at home while doing homework is the main reason for the development of scoliosis.
A great way to spend time, especially in winter, when physical activity is beneficial for every person. In winter, children spend most of their time at school or at home in front of the TV or computer. To strengthen health, muscles, and prevent the development of poor vision, it is better to direct all your energy to water activities.
Prevents the development of excess weight. Swimming burns a large number of calories, which is why many people use swimming to lose weight.

How to overcome your fear of water?

If a student is afraid of water, you should not convince him otherwise. To achieve quick results, it is important that classes take place in a comfortable and safe environment. Parents should focus not on overcoming fear, but on creating a feeling of safety. You can do this as follows:

give the opportunity to get used to the water. When the baby looks around and is not distracted by new sensations, it is worth talking about the properties of water. In age-appropriate language, tell them that water, if the body is positioned correctly, will keep it afloat and “push” it to the surface. Show that the ball does not sink in water, explain why this happens. The absence of fear will allow you to achieve the desired result faster;
let you feel the ground under your feet. Do not rush to immediately take the student into depth. The water level to the chest is optimal in the first stages of training. Invite the future swimmer to play games. The “Fountain” exercise helps you get comfortable in the water: bend your knees slightly so that your lips are in the water. In this position, you should blow out air with your mouth until bubbles form. This activity will certainly entertain the child and help cope with anxiety. In the future, you can go to a depth where the water level reaches the collarbones.

When teaching, it is important to remain calm, not to rush the child, and not to raise your voice. A parent should be a “lifeline”, a “guide” on the path to the unknown. When the fear of water is left behind, they begin to learn to stay afloat. You shouldn’t delay this moment, because you get used to being in the water, touching the bottom.

Stay calm and be a confident guide for your child, not only in learning to swim, but in any other situation. Always know where your child is and what is happening around him so that you can provide him with timely help or support. Download the “Where are my children” application from the AppStore and GooglePlay stores.

First lessons

"Hearts." This simple technique is analogous to the movement of the arms during breaststroke swimming. An explanation of the technique, even in simple words, is not always clear, so just ask your child to draw a big heart on the water with his hands. This demand of yours will not only be understood, but also fulfilled with pleasure.

“Duck” is a method aimed at coordination; you can use armbands for it or ask your dad for help. The child holds on to his mother, using his feet to show the movements of duck feet in the water; as soon as this works well, complicate the exercise. Put armbands on the young swimmer; if he lets go of his hands, he will be able to stay on the surface.

Or dad should stand nearby and, if necessary, provide backup and support for the student.

You can easily teach swimming using the “Frog” method. The child makes a heart with his hands and shows with his feet how a frog swims. In essence, this is a combination of the first and second combinations, only the movement of the legs changes. During the first training, you also cannot do without the help of armbands or an adult. The good thing about this method is that it includes fun elements of play and imitation.

Important ! Learning should bring joy, if at first the child is forced or allowed to get scared when immersed in water, then there will be no need to talk about any pleasure from swimming, much less the result.

The game “Hippopotamus” will help you prepare for the fact that your face can be partially, and then completely, immersed in water . Inhale over the water, purse your lips tightly. Slowly lower your chin into the water, then your mouth and nose, up to eye level, and invite your child to imagine himself as a hippopotamus, looking around with interest at the surroundings on a hot day.

After some time, exhale through your mouth under water. Repeat this game for several minutes in a row every day to bring the actions to automaticity.

As soon as you complete the previous task, start the game “Submariners”: take a deep breath, hold your breath, close your nose, close your eyes and smoothly lower your face under the water.

On a note ! Let your child try to remember a picture or excerpt from a movie and try to see all its details in his imagination.
This technique will distract him, and he will last longer without another breath of oxygen.

Repeat the exercise ten times. The more you practice, the longer your child will be able to hold his breath.

“Float” is an exercise that is great for the pool. For greater clarity, the float pose should be shown first on land: inhale, squat down, hug your knees with your hands, press your chin to your chest, but do not strain your neck.

Repeat the same combination in the pool, first grouping yourself, and then smoothly rising upward in the same position.

Important ! Don't forget about the safety rules: all games and exercises should take place either in a children's pool or in an open body of water, in the shallowest place. The soil under your feet should be stable and not slip.

Why do you want to teach your child to swim?

For safety on water bodies 59%, 23 votes
23 votes 59%
23 votes - 59% of all votes
For health 26%, 10 votes
Read also: Math lesson notes. Topic: "Orientation in space. Repetition and consolidation of what has been learned."
10 votes 26%
10 votes - 26% of all votes
For sports achievements 8%, 3 votes
3 votes 8%
3 votes - 8% of all votes
So that if you want to swim, you can do it in advance * 5%, 2 votes
2 votes 5%
2 votes - 5% of all votes
For a beautiful figure 3%, 1 vote
1 vote 3%
1 vote - 3% of all votes

Total votes: 39

01.06.2018

You or from your IP have already voted.

Swimming pool or open water?

You can overcome your fear of water in the pool. There is less space, a comfortable temperature, the area is fenced - all this adds to the feeling of security. Judging by surveys of familiar parents, approximately half of children successfully master swimming in the pool. The young swimmer is not influenced by extraneous distractions (fish, stones, salt water, etc.). If necessary, you can show your child an instructor or other employee responsible for safety.

Transparent water will help the student control his movements, observe the position of his legs, and simply not be afraid of what is not visible in a muddy river. It is recommended to learn swimming in open waters at the age of at least 4 years. In any case, it is worth being guided by the situation and listening to the child’s condition.

Study with a trainer

An experienced coach knows how to properly teach a child to swim. Young children are easy to learn to swim, they learn quickly, and swim several meters away in the first or second lesson. It is best if the training takes place under the supervision of a trainer. The trainer will be able to choose an individual and interesting program for the child and will monitor the correct execution of all exercises.

It is best to choose pools that recruit a group of children in the age category of your son or daughter. Such groups are trained according to specially developed programs, under the supervision of experienced trainers. It is best to look at the reviews of parents who already take their children to any groups in order to choose the most professional trainer with an effective training program.

You should be prepared for the fact that you will have to adapt to the group’s schedule, since skipping classes is a waste of money and irregular training will not be as effective. Also, you should be prepared for the fact that such classes are not cheap. You will have to purchase additional equipment in the form of a swimsuit, cap, fins and additional swimming devices.

The water in the pool is cool, so children with weak immune systems who are often exposed to colds should first get used to cool water at home. Try taking baths at temperatures up to 30 degrees several times a week.

In addition, you will probably be interested to see how your tomboy is taught to swim in the pool. Some pools are equipped with an auditorium where you can watch your progress over a cup of coffee.

Basics of proper swimming in various styles

Regardless of the age at which the skill is mastered, it is important to know: the correct body position is horizontal with the face lowered into the water . It is instinctive for a person to raise his head. But a lowered face helps maintain balance and prevents the cervical vertebrae from overworking during prolonged exposure to water.

This position increases buoyancy and increases speed in any style. Therefore, when you learn “from scratch”, it is better to immediately develop the correct position, so as not to waste time and effort on relearning.

Sports swimming has 4 styles:

Butterfly . This style is not suitable for children who are just learning. It requires great physical effort and well-functioning coordination of actions. During the movement, the swimmer “flies” over the water, making simultaneous swings of his arms and a splash of his legs, similar to the movements of a dolphin.
Breaststroke. The arms perform wide, “spreading” movements, and the legs seem to push off from the surface of the water.
Crawl on the chest. The fastest style: the arms make sweeping strokes, and the legs perform alternating scissor-type swings. Most of the time the swimmer's face is submerged in the water. In this case, inhalation occurs while turning the head.
Back crawl. The movements are identical to the previous style, only the swimmer is on his back. This is a clear advantage for children who are not comfortable putting their face in the water.

If you are not raising a professional athlete, you should not immediately accustom him to a particular style. First of all, you need to practice breathing, leg and arm work.

Games for children in the water

Playing in the water is very important in the process of learning to swim, as it allows you to get used to the water, train your breathing and reaction, and just have fun and useful time.

Game Dwarfs - Giants

All players stand in one line, their bodies waist-deep in water. The presenter says the word “Dwarfs” and everyone plunges headlong into the water; at the word “Giants” - everyone jumps out of the water. The presenter can alternate these two words in any order; the one who never makes a mistake and executes the command correctly will win.

Sea battle

Players are divided equally and stand in two lines, face to face with the opposing team. When the leader gives a command, the children begin to actively splash water at each other. The winner will be the participant who lasts the longest, does not wipe his face with his hands from the splashes and turns his body to the sides.

Crocodiles

The players are divided into two teams. The entire gameplay is performed at a depth of no more than 50 cm. The participants of each team stand in one line. The first participant takes the position while lying down, on his hands and, performing movements with his legs, begins to move forward to the set point, after which he returns back in exactly the same position and passes the baton to the next participant. The team in which all participants complete this exercise the fastest wins.

How to teach a child to swim?

If you practice every day, it is quite possible to achieve the desired result during a week-long vacation. There are even express methods developed by experienced instructors that allow you to master basic movements within one or two days. The most important thing here is not to force things and focus on the degree of readiness of your ward.

The learning process also depends on what you want to get as a result: whether you just need to teach your child to stay afloat or immediately master the desired style. If you are inclined to the second option, professional swimmers recommend starting with the crawl.

Naturally, when selecting exercises, it is important to focus on the student’s age. Next, we will consider basic techniques that correspond to age-related physiological and psychological characteristics.

Swimming training for preschool children

It is impossible to force a small, but already human, to swim without desire, and it does not make sense. At the age of 3-4 years, a child learns about the world through play. Therefore, in a playful way, you can instill in your baby the main skills, and the swimming technique will be practiced as he grows up.

We bring to your attention several exercises that will help you master the necessary movements:

"Mill". Starting position: standing in chest-deep water, arms bent. You need to perform circular movements with your hands, immersing them as you lower them into the water. Here it is important to emphasize the correct order of immersion: first of all, the hands come into contact with the water, then the forearms, elbows, and shoulders.
"Scissors". This task focuses on footwork. Holding the side or bottom with your hands (at shallow depths), the child will need to lie down on the water and alternately swing his legs up and down.
"Jellyfish". Holding the student under the chest, ask him to lie face down in the water. The neck, legs and arms are as relaxed as possible. This position teaches you to stay afloat and not be afraid to dip your face.
"Starfish". The body position is similar to the previous one, only the arms and legs are extended to the sides. You can complicate the task by adding exhalation into the water. If the child is not ready to lie face down, you can start the exercise from a supine position.
"Heart". Starting position: standing, arms extended forward. Ask your child to “draw” a heart by spreading his arms to the side and bringing them together at the bottom. Shoulders and arms should be immersed in water.
"Frog". The child holds onto the adult with his hands, moving his legs as if pushing off the water.
"Jumping" in the water. Invite your baby to sit down and then jump, doing the previous two exercises at the same time. Be prepared to provide physical assistance (hold, catch) and psychological support to the beginning swimmer.
"Float" . Starting position: standing. Take a deep breath and, squatting, sink to the bottom. Tell them in advance that you will need to hold your breath. As an incentive to perform, you can put some bright toy on the bottom.

Such training will help you get comfortable in the water and not cry if drops get into your eyes or nose. You can use protective equipment: glasses, a hat and other accessories to create maximum comfort for your child.

If you present training as a fun time with parents, the child will look forward to new exciting activities. By the way, such exercises provide a good psychoprophylactic effect and allow you to relieve muscle and emotional tension.

“Academic” methodology for teaching primary school children

The period from 7 to 10 years is characterized by awareness in performing exercises. There is no longer any need to invent exciting activities in a playful way. The younger student is ready to learn to swim on his own initiative. Of course, parents should not forget that motivation at this age still depends on external factors. Therefore, as with children, it is important to create an atmosphere that stimulates activities, arouses interest and brings positive emotions. Use praise often and avoid ridicule.

Now let's move on to practice. Step-by-step implementation of the exercises described below is a guarantee that the child will learn to swim:

Breathing into the water. Starting position: standing, immersing your face in the water, hands holding the handrails. In this case, you need to exhale air through your nose or mouth until a “boil” forms. Such exercises are done 10 to 15 times before starting training.
Swimming with a board . Starting position: lying on the water, holding the board. Arms extended. The face is lowered into the water. Moving forward is carried out due to the movement of the legs. The legs work from the hip without bending at the knee. It is important to follow the breathing technique here: to inhale, lift your face up, exhale into the water. Mastering swimming with a board can take from one to several lessons, depending on your student’s readiness.
"Arrow" . The exercise is similar to the previous one, but is performed without a board. This task is a kind of test: if the child has coped with it, then it is worth moving on to the next stage.
Connecting hands. There may be three options:
if the legs moved with the crawl, “breaststroke” movements with the arms are allowed. In this case, the child will master the “doggy style” technique, which is intuitive and allowed at the initial stages;
and the third option: legs when swimming - crawl, hand strokes - also crawl. With parallel training in sideways breathing, the child will fully master this style.

Of course, it’s too early to talk about the ideal performance technique at this stage. But the child already knows how to float on the surface of the water and move forward.

Teaching your child to swim before traveling? Be calm about him not only in the water, but also on land. To prevent your child from getting lost in a strange place, download the “Where are my children” application with the Surround Sound and GPS function from the AppStore and GooglePlay stores.

“Express option” for younger students

If you think the above method is too complicated or time-consuming (especially when summer is in full swing and you want to teach your child to swim freely in a matter of days), try another way. It will allow you to achieve results in a short time, without focusing on practicing the technique.

The essence of the classes comes down to several exercises:

Starting position: lying on the water, hands resting on the bottom. Immerse your face in water 10 times and relax your neck muscles. Naturally, the exercise can only be performed at shallow depths.
Perform the same actions with one hand lifted from the bottom of the pool.
Perform the same actions with alternately lifting your hands off the bottom.

When the child has mastered the third task, ask him to remove both hands at once. In this way he will learn to “lie” on the water. But that's only half the story. Next you should teach him to move forward. You can do this using the following exercises:

Starting position: lying on the water, smoothly straighten your arms forward. Remember that haste and jerking are of no use here.
While on the water with your arms outstretched, push off the side with your feet and “slide” forward. When this is achieved, we add movements with the legs (just move them without focusing on the technique of execution). Having mastered moving with the legs, we also connect the arms without reference to the style. Let the child move them the way he feels comfortable. The only requirement: do not put your hands behind your body so that you can raise your face above the water without losing balance.
Raising your head. At first, you should raise your head without inhaling. It is important to work out the sequence of actions. When this happens, add an inhale over the water.

This method was proposed by coach D. Tarakanov. The author claims that the desired result can be achieved in just one lesson.

Middle and high school age

You can train a teenager using the methods outlined above. After 12 years of age, it is easier for children to complete the tasks described; they easily learn the instructions. Difficulties that arise during learning, most often, can be caused by psychological issues:

strong fear of water (as a result of unsuccessful attempts to swim earlier);
lack of contact with the “teacher”;
persistent reluctance to learn.

Here the adult needs to find an approach to the older student, motivate him to acquire new skills, and demonstrate the benefits of swimming. Once a trusting relationship has been established, you can begin training.

Preparation

Children tend to experience fear when faced with something unknown, and the fear of water is no exception. In order for the acquaintance with the water element for the first time to pass without fear and stress, parents should be nearby, showing by their example that there is nothing to be afraid of, the process of bathing is a very fun and enjoyable experience.

Any carelessly spoken word or careless action can discourage the desire to swim for many years. Where to learn to swim, in a pool or on a river, is up to you, it depends only on your capabilities and does not affect the result. First, read the basic rules:

The child must be in a good mood and well-fed , otherwise whims cannot be avoided, and training may end before it begins.
Conquering open bodies of water should take place gradually - first offer to wet your palms and wash, then wet your legs, go into the water up to your knees, if no negative emotions are observed, then you can start swimming lessons.
You should start learning with breathing technique : a quick inhalation through the nose is replaced by a long, smooth exhalation through the mouth. Have you learned to breathe correctly? It's time to move on to the next stage.

"Branch of MPO named after I. Rumyantsev"

If you want to enroll your child in the pool as an adult, a worthy option is the “Branch of the I. Rumyantsev MPO.” The sports complex has been operating for more than forty years, and is constantly updated and meets all modern requirements. Experienced trainers teach swimming here to children from 7 years old and adults of all ages. This sports complex with a swimming pool is ideal for activities with children 10 years and older. In the children's and adult pools of the complex, the water temperature is maintained at 26-27 degrees.

The sports complex is located near the Savelovskaya metro station at the address: st. Pistsovaya, 12.

The cost of an individual lesson with an instructor is 1,650 rubles; if you purchase a subscription, it is more profitable.

We hope our selection will help you find a good children's pool in your area and raise, if not a world champion swimmer, then certainly a healthy and happy child.

Previously, we compiled a rating of the best children's quests in Moscow and told where to celebrate a child's birthday.

Cover: magichild.ru

- share with your friends!

If you swallow water while swimming

At the very beginning of learning to swim, lowering his face, a child may, due to inexperience, swallow water , begin to choke, get scared and cry from this.

Your task at this moment is to react neutrally or neutral-positively, to transform the situation into a positive one.

The fact is that many parents either begin to scold their child, or at least react negatively or fearfully. A child who has already received unpleasant sensations from water in his nose and is frightened when he sees a parent swearing or frightened will make the following conclusion: “this should never happen again” and his desire to be in the water and learn will greatly decrease or disappear altogether.

Therefore, the main thing here is not to send even more negativity towards the child. Be indifferent or even positive (as far as possible and appropriate).

You need to calmly tell him to exhale forcefully through his nose and then all the water will go away.

Footwork

The next stage is to connect the legs.

The academic option is to first teach how to work with your legs in the crawl style - that is, perform alternating swings up and down.

At the same time, some children are naturally closer to “frog kicks” rather than swings. Then there is no need to force them to do swings - let them work with their legs in a “frog style”.

To test which style your child is initially predisposed to, ask him to try swimming in any way and see how he intuitively begins to move his legs . This is shown in great detail and clearly in the video of trainer Denis Tarakanov, from whom I borrowed this idea:

If we are talking about the classic version (swing kicks, not frog kicks), then it makes sense to show the child their correct technique .

It is important to ensure that your legs do not bend too much at the knee. Small children intuitively begin to flop their legs, bending them at the knee - but instead the work should come from the hip - almost straight legs move up and down with the hip.

Read more about how your legs should move correctly in this article.

It is recommended that an adult first demonstrate the movements on land - we sit on the edge of the pool, stretch out our legs and move them up and down, then ask the child sitting next to him to repeat the same.

Then we go into the water, where there are two exercise options:

The child pushes off with an arrow and slides towards you (as in the previous exercise), while connecting your legs.
First, we swim with our heads down while holding our breath (or exhaling).
Then we learn to raise and lower our heads. I really like the exercises of Denis Tarakanov already mentioned above:
Raising the head – “thoughtful fish” -> “curious fish”:
Raising the head with an inhalation – “Thoughtful fish” -> “Admiring fish”:
Exercises with a swimming board (if the first option does not work out).
The child picks up a swimming board and swims with it:
- arms extended forward with board,
the head lowers to exhale and rises to inhale (don’t swim with your head up, otherwise nothing will work out later without a board).

It looks like this:

In general, this stage (learning to swim with your head down using your legs) can take a long time - be patient. The smaller the baby, the more practice it will take to learn these skills. For example, at 3 years old you can spend six months, or even a year, practicing this kind of swimming - your son or daughter will need time to gain a foothold at this level.

Do this until the child can swim at least some distance without a board (hands with an arrow) using only his legs.

What can you swim on?

Necessary swimming aids for people who do not know how to float well are arm guards, swimming boards and noodles. All of these small devices were specially designed to support some part of the body and give the muscles a little rest, but at the same time continue to swim and keep the body on the surface of the water. But it is better to teach the baby without them, since the child must immediately get used to the position of the body in the water and rely only on his own strength.
Surf. A surfboard is an item that belongs to extreme sports. It is best to learn in the open ocean, directly on the waves, but if this is not possible, you can also learn the basic rules of surfing in specialized centers, where they create an imitation of waves and you can try to glide over the waves while standing on the surf. Children love to surf and you can teach a boy or girl to do this from an early age, especially since it is becoming available in various modern indoor complexes.
Boats. Currently, there are a large number of boats, ranging from inflatable boats to models with a hydraulic motor. It all depends on the purpose of the holiday, but in any case, a boat is an excellent way to spend a holiday with a large company. If your children love to dive, then you can swim from the shore and have a great dive into the clear lake. Be sure to let your baby steer the boat. After all, the faster he learns to swim on various watercraft, the more skillful he will be, and you will be calmer.
Mattress. The air mattress is designed for swimming without having to touch the water at all. Mattresses come in different types and sizes, there are models with additional massage inserts, and there are models for children. It is ideal for learning to swim as it is a lot of fun to dive from.

Can:

tow while holding with one hand;
overcome enormous distances, since there is no fear of swimming far and becoming exhausted;
You can always relax on it.

It is best to start teaching your child to swim from an early age. This process must be taken seriously. The main thing is that there is no extreme. That is, throwing one baby into a pool or pond with the goal that the instinct of self-preservation will help him learn to swim is a bad idea, since the baby may not only not learn to swim, get scared, but also acquire a psychological barrier of fear of water, which is very difficult to fight. Gradual training in the pool, preferably with a trainer, can give positive results in a short time. Or maybe there is a future champion growing up in your family? If a child likes the water element, it is necessary to support and develop this direction.

Features of school age

Unlike younger children, starting from 6-7 years old, the child is already ready for the learning process - ready to consciously perform exercises and tasks. It is from this age that people are accepted to study at a sports school.

In this regard, there is no longer a need to teach through games (as with little ones), and at the same time it is possible and necessary to instill in the child the correct swimming style.

However, in relation to schoolchildren, the parent’s task is to ensure that the child has a desire to take up swimming, that is, to interest him, and not to force him .

I would also like to note that under no circumstances should you scold a child if he has taken too much water - you need to treat it calmly (for more details, see here). The goal is for positive results to come from classes. Praise your child often.

First steps - getting used to water

If we are talking about a very young child, then the very first step is getting used to water . Let your son or daughter get acquainted with it first - sit, stand in it, play with toys.

In this regard, it is very important to carry out habituation and initial training where:

very shallow (where the child is waist-deep);
clear warm water, preferably 27-28 degrees;
water should not hurt your eyes.

The best option is a shallow pool with warm water.

The sea is undesirable due to waves, salty and colder water. Rivers and lakes are undesirable because they require a clear environment.

Not all young children enjoy being in the water, so be patient and let him do it the first time without any tasks, exercises, swimming goggles, etc. just an opportunity to play enough in warm, shallow, clear water and fall in love with it .

Water toys , watering cans, balls, and toys from favorite cartoons for developing interest in very young children

You can also arouse interest by watching cartoons and videos on a marine theme.

Exhalation

The next basic skill that a child must master is the ability to exhale into the water , since in proper swimming, regardless of style, this is how exhalation is done.

The academic version of teaching this, which is used by many trainers:

holding the edge of the pool with your hands, lower your head and blow bubbles with your nose (you can also use your mouth, but it’s important to learn to use your nose). Repeat this for several minutes until you get tired;
take a swimming board in your hands and, holding it with outstretched arms, swim using your legs, lowering your face into the water to exhale and raising it to inhale.

Other options in a playful manner are to do the same jumping and squats, adding exhalation under water.

You can also exhale through your mouth, although it is better to learn to do it through your nose!

Connecting hands

Having gone through the previous stage, we next connect our hands.

The academic option is to learn crawl strokes with breathing to the side.

However, at a young age it is very difficult to master them; it is more realistic to make breaststroke movements with your arms :

row with both hands towards yourself , at this moment the head rises above the water to inhale;
throwing your arms forward , at this moment your head drops.

The correct technique for using your arms in breaststroke is described in this article, but you need to understand that for a child of 3-5 years old it will seem difficult .

In fact, very often children switch from breaststroke movements to doggy style swimming.

On the question of what to do about this, coaches have different points of view:

some experts believe that it is necessary to achieve the correct breaststroke stroke technique, otherwise it will be difficult to instill it later;
others believe that at the very first stage it is permissible for a child to learn to row at least somehow , even if like a dog. Thus, he will learn to at least somehow swim, and then it will be possible to use the correct technique.

From my point of view, a lot depends on the age, development and abilities of the child. I don’t see anything critical in the second option - first learn to at least somehow swim, then improve your technique.

To teach breaststroke strokes (even if in fact it will be “doggy style”), you need to show the child the movements first on land (asking him to repeat), then train them in the water.

If you decide or want to try to train your arms in the crawl style, then at first this is done by swimming with a board:

as before, we swim with our feet,
outstretched arms holding a board
one of the hands makes a stroke and returns back to the board.

Individual lessons with an instructor

Individual swimming lessons for preschoolers have their advantages. The coach evaluates the child’s skills and brings them into line with the parents’ expectations. It is better to choose a children's pool and classes with a trainer.

Forms of organization of physical education

Advantages:

The training program is developed specifically for a specific child. All structural features of the body and the goals set are taken into account.
The coach has complete control over the student. His task is to teach how to swim correctly and safely.
Everything that a coach does for a child is aimed at obtaining a successful result.
The lesson schedule can be easily modified to suit the specific needs of the student.