4 Strategies for Dealing with Your Child’s Fear of Water

If your child is afraid of water, they’re not alone. Plenty of people are weary around bodies of water, it all depends on one’s childhood and background. If your kid isn’t regularly around lakes or a pool, it’s perfectly reasonable to be afraid. However, it’s important to note that the fear is more so a fear of the unknown and/or a doubt in their swimming abilities. That’s why it’s important to practice swimming ! Here are a few tips to help your child get more comfortable in and around bodies of water:

Strategy 1: Get Acquainted

Start by sitting them on the edge of a pool or a lake. No need to go in just yet. Once the child feels comfortable they can try dipping their feet, then standing in a shallow area, etc. Don’t put any pressure on them and allow the child to slowly work up to submerging their full body.

Strategy 2: Build confidence

Once their shoulders are under the water, it’s time to learn how to confidently submerge their head.

Have them practice putting their chin in the water and pour water on the back of their head. This is to acquaint them with the feeling of water on their face. This step will take the longest, as they are slowly building up the confidence to eventually submerge their head.

Strategy 3: Have Fun

In order to build confidence in the water, it’s imperative that the experiences be positive. The more happy memories the child can associate with water, the more comfortable they will be.

Strategy 4: Enrol Them in Swimming Lessons

Enrolling your kids in swimming lessons from an early age is one of the best ways to build water confidence. Not only will your child be exposed to water frequently and in a safe environment but they will also build muscle memory, buoyancy and breath control and strength.

At KCS, we make sure all our highly trained aquatic educators follow these tips to ensure your kids are learning to swim at their own unique pace in a safe and fun environment!