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Justin Douglas Wolfenberg

I’ve seen a lot of parents who don’t have a lot of confidence as swimmers still have an incredibly positive experience at the pool all summer long with their children.

It’s easy.

It doesn’t take a lot of time.

Anyone can do this, regardless of your swimming experience.

It's a joyful experience when a parent and child learn together by taking something scary and intimidating and overcoming it together.

I would love for you and your child to have that same experience. I’ve seen it happen for many parents.

Read more

I’ve seen a lot of parents who don’t have a lot of confidence as swimmers still have an incredibly positive experience at the pool all summer long with their children.

It’s easy.

It doesn’t take a lot of time.

Anyone can do this, regardless of your swimming experience.

It's a joyful experience when a parent and child learn together by taking something scary and intimidating and overcoming it together.

I would love for you and your child to have that same experience. I’ve seen it happen for many parents.

In fact, I was recently in the pool with family friends of ours. Byron, the dad, didn’t know what to do with his kids, so I showed him some of the things I’ll teach you in the course and by the end of the day he was teaching his kids and they were all having a great time.

It was so different from what I saw in years of group swimming lessons led by a stranger. It was so productive, the kids learned so much faster, and the bonding experience that took place between the parent and the child was invaluable.

I would love for you to have that same kind of experience this summer.

Simply go through the checkout process for the course and we’ll immediately start going into more depth about your child’s first experience in the water with you.

We’ll also teach you how to help your child…

  • feel comfortable and safe jumping into the water

  • going under water

  • floating on his/her back

  • breathing in the water without panic

  • learning to kick

  • learn foundations of swimming that can last lifetime. I will teach you the right order. This matters.

So go through the checkout process, buy the course, and I will look forward to seeing you on the other side where we’ll get further into teaching your young child to be safe and comfortable around the pool.

Let’s do it.

Enroll now

What's inside

Syllabus

Prepare your child with right mindset to start swimming lessons with you

You will learn a way to talk to your child about the first lesson that will have them excited and help calm any fears they may have.

Read more

We will show you a great way to get your child to jump into the water a with smile on their face.

In this video we outline the safety procedures you will set up with your child to ensure that safety is the highest priority. 

You will learn how to get your child to enter the water for the first time with as little drama as possible. These steps we share will set you up for success. 

I will show an actual demonstration in the water of how to do your first lesson.

See an example of what do at first with your younger child to help them get comfortable in the water.

We will show you a great technique for teaching your child how to go underwater over and over again while taking breaths.

Learn how to get your child to go underwater!

You will learn how to get your child to relax and float successfully on their back

There is proper way to kick your legs while you are swimming.  We will show you the right way. 

We will give you some helpful tips and strategies to encourage your child well. 

When teaching your child to swim, repetition is key to learning and failure is no big deal.  You will learn how to teach something quickly and give your child the opportunity to practice it often.

You will learn the power of presenting regular challenges to your child throughout the lesson and how to handle it if they don't complete the challenge successfully. 

This course is for swim lesson instructors.  It contains a lot of review plus additional information

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches parents how to introduce their children to swimming in a safe and comfortable environment, fostering a positive early experience with water
Focuses on building confidence in both the parent and child, which can lead to a more enjoyable and effective learning experience
Emphasizes the importance of a parent-child bonding experience during swimming lessons, which can be more valuable than traditional group lessons
Includes a review of swimming lesson principles and additional information, which may be helpful for swim lesson instructors
Requires parents to actively participate in the learning process, which may not be suitable for parents seeking a hands-off approach
Assumes parents have access to a pool or swimming facility, which may be a barrier for some families

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Reviews summary

Parent-led kids swim skills

According to learners, this course provides a simple and effective way for parents to teach foundational swimming skills to their young children. Many found the techniques easy to follow, even for parents who are not strong swimmers themselves. Reviewers particularly highlight the course's emphasis on safety and creating a positive bonding experience between parent and child. The structured, step-by-step approach, covering skills like going underwater, floating, and kicking, was frequently praised. While primarily focused on young beginners and parent-led instruction, some also found it useful as a supplement or for understanding the fundamentals of teaching. The overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Step-by-step lessons are easy to follow.
"The course breaks down skills like bobs, floating, and kicking into simple, manageable steps."
"Each lesson builds logically on the last, making progress clear."
"I could easily follow the demonstrations and replicate them with my child."
"The structure made it feel less overwhelming than I expected."
Ideal for very young children and beginners.
"Perfect course for introducing swimming to toddlers and young children for the first time."
"This course is absolutely fantastic if your child is an absolute beginner."
"The foundations taught are solid for getting a child comfortable and safe in the water."
"It's gentle and encouraging for kids who might be a bit scared initially."
Great for parent-child bonding in the pool.
"Teaching my child myself using this course has been such a wonderful bonding experience."
"It's not just about swimming, it's about creating positive memories together in the water."
"This course turned pool time into a joyful, connected activity for us."
"Seeing my child gain confidence with me by their side was priceless."
Strong emphasis on safety protocols is reassuring.
"Safety is clearly the highest priority throughout the lessons, which made me feel much more confident."
"The course outlines essential safety steps before even getting in the water."
"I appreciated how they integrated safety into every skill taught."
"Knowing the safety procedures outlined helped me feel prepared and responsible."
Techniques are simple and effective for parents.
"The techniques taught in this course are incredibly simple and yet so effective for teaching little ones."
"As a non-swimmer parent, I was worried, but the methods made it easy for me to teach my child."
"My child is now comfortable going underwater thanks to the step-by-step approach shown."
"I followed the lessons and saw real progress in my toddler's confidence in the water."
May not be suitable for older or advanced kids.
"While great for my 3-year-old, I doubt it would offer much for a child who already knows the basics."
"This course is definitely geared towards the very young beginner stage."
"If your child has some swimming experience, this might be too basic for them."
"Focuses heavily on comfort and basics, not stroke mechanics for older swimmers."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Swimming Skills for Kids with these activities:
Review Water Safety Guidelines
Reinforce essential water safety knowledge to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for your child.
Show steps
  • Research current water safety guidelines from reputable organizations.
  • Review common pool rules and emergency procedures.
  • Discuss safety rules with your child before starting lessons.
Review 'Swimming for Dummies' by Janet Evans
Gain a broader understanding of swimming techniques and water safety principles.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Swimming for Dummies'.
  • Read the book and focus on the sections relevant to teaching children.
  • Use the book as a reference for improving your own swimming skills.
Read 'Teach Your Baby to Swim' by Bonnie Prudden
Learn techniques for teaching infants and young children to swim, building water confidence and skills.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Teach Your Baby to Swim'.
  • Read the book and highlight key techniques and exercises.
  • Incorporate the book's recommendations into your swimming lessons.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Practice Holding Breath
Practice holding breath to improve comfort and confidence underwater, a crucial skill for young swimmers.
Show steps
  • Start by holding breath for a few seconds outside the water.
  • Gradually increase the duration of breath-holding.
  • Practice exhaling slowly underwater.
Create a Pool Safety Checklist
Create a pool safety checklist to reinforce learning and ensure a safe swimming environment.
Show steps
  • Research essential pool safety measures.
  • Design a visually appealing and easy-to-understand checklist.
  • Share the checklist with other parents or caregivers.
Design a Personalized Swimming Lesson Plan
Create a personalized swimming lesson plan tailored to your child's age, skill level, and learning style.
Show steps
  • Assess your child's current swimming abilities and comfort level.
  • Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the lessons.
  • Outline the activities, drills, and games you will use in each lesson.
  • Adjust the plan as needed based on your child's progress and feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Swimming Skills for Kids will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Swimming Instructor
A swimming instructor teaches people of all ages and skill levels how to swim. This course, with its emphasis on creating a positive and safe learning environment for children, perfectly complements the skills needed for this role. The course's lessons on helping children feel comfortable jumping into the water, going underwater, and floating can directly translate into effective teaching techniques. Aspiring swimming instructors may find the segment on the right order of teaching to be very helpful. You may find the course's section on sample lesson plans by age and teaching principles helpful. This course may help you learn how to make swimming a fun and confidence-building experience for the kids you teach.
Water Safety Instructor
A water safety instructor teaches courses in water safety, accident prevention, and basic water rescue. This course is helpful. You may find that the emphasis on helping children feel safe and comfortable in the water is foundational to water safety education. The course may help you discuss how to approach instruction while emphasizing the importance of jump in, go under water, and/or float. You may find the components on safety procedures to be particularly relevant.
Nanny
Nannies provide childcare services in a family's home. This course may be a valuable asset for nannies who want to teach the children in their care how to swim. Nannies may find the course's segments on helping children feel comfortable in the water and strategies for teaching basic swimming skills to be incredibly useful. Nannies may also learn to implement and communicate about safety procedures. You may find lessons on repetition and celebration to be valuable.
Camp Counselor
Camp counselors supervise children in a variety of activities, including swimming. This course may be particularly useful for camp counselors who are responsible for the safety and well-being of children in and around the water. The course emphasizes strategies for helping children feel comfortable in the water, teaching them basic swimming skills, and creating a positive learning environment. The learning modules on jumping into the water, going underwater, and floating may give camp counselors ideas for activities to do with children. Camp counselors may find the sections on celebration useful.
Cruise Ship Recreation Staff
Cruise ship recreation staff organize and lead recreational activities for passengers, including swimming pool games and activities. This course is helpful. Cruise ship staff may find the section on helping children feel comfortable and safe in the water to be helpful, as they will often interact with children and families. Staff may find the learning modules on jumping in, going underwater, and floating useful for creating engaging pool activities. Cruise ship staff who wish to gain a better understanding of how to teach kids to swim will find this training useful.
Lifeguard
Lifeguards monitor swimming areas and ensure the safety of swimmers. While lifeguarding primarily focuses on rescue and safety protocols, this "Swimming Skills for Kids" course could be quite beneficial. You may find the sessions on helping children overcome fears in the water and practicing safe swimming techniques to be relevant. A lifeguard needs to be able to quickly assess a swimmer's comfort and skill level and guide them towards safety. Lifeguards may benefit in this course from the modules focused on safety procedures, modeling, and encouragement.
Recreation Leader
Recreation leaders plan, organize, and direct recreational activities, often including swimming programs. This course may be useful for recreation leaders who work with children in aquatic settings. The course is helpful, given its discussion of how to create a positive learning experience. You may find that insights for helping children feel comfortable and safe in the water can translate into engaging and successful recreation programs that improve physical literacy. Recreation leaders who wish to gain deeper insight into swimming fundamentals may find this training useful.
Swim Coach
A swim coach trains athletes to improve their swimming technique, speed, and endurance for competitive events. While this course focuses on foundational skills for kids, it may be surprisingly relevant to coaching. You may find its emphasis on proper kicking technique and breathing to be useful for developing drills and training plans. The course's lessons on encouragement and presenting challenges can also inform your coaching style. This course can give aspiring swim coaches insights into the fundamentals of swimming instruction and methods for building confidence in young swimmers.
Physical Education Teacher
Physical education teachers instruct students in various sports and physical activities, including swimming. This course can be a valuable resource for physical education teachers who want to enhance their swimming instruction skills. This course helps you learn techniques to get your students comfortable and confident in the water. You may find the segments on teaching specific skills like kicking and breathing useful, allowing you to teach your students swimming fundamentals in an engaging manner. The lessons on repetition and creating regular challenges may also be useful.
Adaptive Swim Instructor
An adaptive swim instructor teaches swimming skills to individuals with disabilities or special needs. This course may be helpful, given its focus on creating a positive and supportive learning environment. Adaptive swim instructors may find that the course's lessons on building confidence; the lessons on safety procedures, modeling, and encouragement are relevant for adapting swimming instruction to meet diverse needs. Adaptive swim instructors may find this to be a good introduction to swimming, and a supplement to more specialized training.
Parenting Coach
Parenting coaches advise and support parents on child-rearing techniques. While this course primarily teaches swimming instruction, it could offer parenting coaches valuable insights into fostering parent-child bonding through shared activities. The course emphasizes the joyful experience of parents and children learning together. Parenting coaches may find that the course's lessons on encouragement, creating challenges, and celebrating successes can be adapted to other parenting contexts. This course may be helpful as a way to foster active parenting.
Special Education Teacher
Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. The special education teacher adapts general lesson plans to meet the needs of students with disabilities. This course may be useful, given its focus on creating a positive and supportive learning environment. Special education teachers may find that the course's lessons on building confidence, safety procedures, modeling, and encouragement are relevant for adapting swimming instruction. Special education teachers may find that the course introduces students to new techniques.
Recreational Therapist
Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. While this course is specifically focused on teaching children to swim, the underlying principles of creating a positive and engaging learning experience may be relevant to recreational therapy. You may find that techniques for building water comfort and basic swimming skills can be adapted for therapeutic activities. Recreational therapists may use the course to foster a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment. This course may be useful.
Aquatic Therapist
Aquatic therapists use water-based exercises and activities to rehabilitate patients with injuries or disabilities. While this course focuses on teaching children to swim, some of its principles may be adapted for therapeutic purposes. An aquatic therapist strives to provide a positive therapeutic environment that is conducive to healing. Principles such as the importance of establishing a positive mindset, establishing habits, and celebrating may all have some bearing on the work of an aquatic therapist. This course may be useful.
Preschool Teacher
Preschool teachers educate and care for young children in a preschool setting. Although not directly related to swimming instruction, this course may be a useful resource for preschool teachers who want to promote water safety awareness among their students. You may find the course's lessons on making it easier for children to jump in, go under water, and float, as a means to discuss safety. Preschool teachers may find the segments on celebrating and encouraging children particularly helpful.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Swimming Skills for Kids.
Provides a general overview of swimming techniques and water safety. It good resource for parents who are not confident swimmers themselves. It offers basic instruction on various swimming strokes and drills. It is more valuable as additional reading to provide background knowledge than as a current reference during lessons.

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