Swim Toward Your Dream: How to Help a Child Over 4 Years Old Learn to Love the Water and Conquer It

1. Confirm that your child is proficient with all basic skills. If he is comfortable in the water and is able to swim at or beyond the level described for 2 – 4-year-olds, then you can move on to more advanced swimming techniques.

2. Teach your child the Dog Paddle. This is a fun and simple swimming style that is often used by young children learning to swim. The ideal water level for the Dog Paddle is about chest-high.

3. Tell your child to enter the water belly first and cup his hands. Making downward scooping motions with his fingers together, he should “dig” through the water while kicking his feet, much like a dog or a horse might swim.

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4. Tell him to kick his feet a little below the surface of the water. Chances are he will try to fully extend his legs, but short, fast kicks offer more power. To improve form, have him point his toes while kicking.

5. Have your child keep his head above water with his chin on the surface while paddling and kicking. He might need support while learning to coordinate his arms and legs, but as he gains confidence, you should supervise independent swimming.

6. Teach him to blow air out through his nose underwater. To properly swim with both hands, your child will not be able to plug his nose while swimming. Start with a game to see who can make the most bubbles using only air blown out the nose!

7. Encourage him to practice regulating his underwater nose-exhale. In the beginning, your child might blow out all his air in one burst out of fear the water will rush up his nose. Stay close in case he accidentally takes on some water and needs your support.

8. Practice moving around underwater with the nose-exhale technique. At this point, your child might not be the most coordinated underwater, but allow him to get a feel for moving around underwater without plugging his nose. This will make it easier for him to transition to swimming a proper stroke.

9. Teach your child to breathe bilaterally between strokes while swimming freestyle. You should approach this exercise with patience, as this is a complicated technique that may take some time.

10. Have your child sit on the steps or stand in the shallows. He should be about waist- or chest-deep in the water. Be aware that your child might have eyes that are sensitive to chlorine.

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11. Combine the arms-only swimming stroke described for younger children with short, fast kicks below the surface of the water. Practice in the shallow end and allow him to feel how his arms and legs sync up without submerging his head. Regularly, have him turn his head to practice the motion of turning out of the water to breathe. He should alternate the side he turns every third stroke.

12. Cue breathing and help your child to find a swimming rhythm. Do this by counting his strokes and having him turn his head and take a deep breath with the third stroke. Alternating sides will keep his form symmetrical.

13. Hold him in the water with his stomach down, feet off the bottom of the pool, and your arms supporting him. Have him dip his face in the water and practice swimming two strokes, turning his head for a breath on every third stroke. With each breath, he should alternate sides.

14. Supervise him trying this motion independently. Once he is comfortable, he can graduate to swimming with a life vest and, after mastering that, he can begin supervised swimming on his own.

15. Let your child swim to the other side of the pool. When he is experienced enough, you can try this without a life vest. If not, it is fine to start with a life vest on.

16. Have him stand or float at one end of the pool and push off the side with his legs. When he stops moving from the push, he should start kicking and stroking with his arms until he reaches the other side.

17. Teach your child to roll over from his back. This will help if your child falls onto his back.

18. Have your child start by floating on his back. Tell him to drop one of his shoulders towards the bottom of the pool. He should roll the rest of his body to follow the motion of that shoulder.

19. Teach your child to tread water. Treading water is an important skill in case your child needs to stay afloat in the water for a long period of time. It will keep him upright in the water and able to interact with toys and friends while floating.

20. Teach him to get back to the ladder if he falls in. Do this by having him jump off the ladder towards the center of the pool. Once in the water, he should immediately turn around and swim back to the ladder. This basic technique could save your child's life.

21. Make sure your child always jumps towards the center of the pool. This will teach him that it is only acceptable to jump to the middle, where it's safest, and not to the sides, where he could get hurt.

22. Teach your child more advanced strokes. Now that your child is more experienced, he can start learning some real swim strokes. The following are some of the most common swimming strokes your child can learn.