How to Get Children Swimming
Review of Usborne’s Teach Your Child to Swim
But how does a parent or carer set about teaching these invaluable techniques to children, and when should they begin to try? In response to these questions, Usborne Publishing has produced a book, written by Susan Meredith, entitled Teach Your Child to Swim (Usborne 2006, ISBN 0746073178).
Inside the extremely robust card cover of this large, 96-page paperback book, there is a wealth of advice on everything from gaining your child’s trust in the bath, their first real point of call with water, through to advice on finding a swimming pool and attempting swimming activities, to what to do once the child is afloat and swimming completely unaided.
Make a Good Start - Teach Children Early
The author is very keen to encourage children into the water at an early age as, according to the text, the older children are when they begin to swim, the more fearful and self-conscious they will be. Of course, all children are different, as Susan Meredith clearly points out, and children should not be rushed into the water if they are clearly not ready.
Although babies’ and toddlers’ activities are shown, the activities in reality could be practised by a child of any age. Instructions and advice are given for encouraging reluctant children into the pool, and how long to keep the little swimmer in the water for, each time they first visit the pool. Advice is even given on finding the right type of pool, as each one – its atmosphere, and its temperature – can be very different.
Words and Pictures Educating Parent and Child
Detailed illustrations by Roger Fereday are used to enhance the instructional value of this book, and are of particular use when explaining how to help a child become confident in the water, get afloat, and how to help swimming strokes to develop. The numbered instructions and illustrations here, together with the tabulated pages which include checklists, are of particular use to a parent less confident in teaching actual stroke movements.
And as Usual - the Usborne Extras
However wonderful it is to teach children to swim, this book also sets aside time to explore safety issues, for example, of swimming in the sea. Instruction is given, too, on emergency measures which must be taken, should a child get into trouble in the water. Responsibly, the author suggests that it is very useful to take a lifesaving course at a local pool, but describes in great detail, aided by the illustrations, how to both help yourself and another person if a problem or injury occurs.
And, ending on a much happier note, the book explores the options open to parents if their children display signs of wanting to take swimming further. What is so wonderful about Usborne non-fiction books, and this one is no exception, is that Internet links are supplied, so that the reader can have access to regulated websites to discover more information after reading the book.
It can be seen that Usborne has produced in this book a fabulous introduction, and more, to guide parents and carers through the difficulties and processes when teaching their children to swim, from the most reluctant child to the child who develops their skills into a larger pastime or sport. Any adult can follow this book – it is an extremely accessible read, and if it makes the difference between knowing how to teach your child safely and correctly or not, then Teach Your Child to Swim has to be a useful addition to any parents’ bookshelf.
Swimming - a great pastime
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