Baby Swimming Roadmap
Huggies Little Swimmers® Pool Buddy Stages
Here are some useful age-appropriate and child-centred pointers.
These pointers are designed to help you understand water confidence and water enjoyment from a child’s point of view. When a trusted caregiver holds a child close in the water and responds to their needs in this way, our child development experts tell us that the water confidence of our littlies will be enhanced. They encourage regular, positive water experiences like this in the early years.
For 0 to 6 months
- Hold me and support me so I can feel safer in the water
- I feel safer in the water when we have happy eye contact
- I won’t be frightened when you move me through the water gently and slowly
- Singing and talking gently teaches me what is coming next
- Supporting my body helps me learn what it feels like to float
- When you are relaxed I relax too
For 6 months to 1 year
- When you support me I can try new things
- I love it when we play with my friends in the water
- Learning to swim means I discover how to feel happy and safer in water
- I love to try to do the actions when you show me how
- Tell me before you splash or submerge me
- When lying on my back, I need to feel your support and feel you close, especially when my ears, head and shoulders are in the water
For 1 to 2 years
- Continue to support me as I need to know you are there
- Always return me to a safe place (like the side of the pool so I can hold on)
- Roll me from my back to my tummy over and over in the water
- Lie me supported on your shoulder and gently roll me to my tummy
- Laughing and playing with you in the water is special
For 2 to 3 years
- I still need you to be there with me in the water
- Respect me because sometimes I don’t want to be in the water
- Please catch me when we decide it’s time to jump in
- Playing games in the water helps me to develop my confidence
- Repeating activities I love gives me confidence to do it by myself
- I need to trust you when I try new things
*Developed by Jenny McPhail – Water Discovery, and Gill Connell – Moving Smart
Remember, close together with you they feel secure and it’s fun. Encourage your kids to enjoy the water early!
Related Content
For more information see Learn to swim or Parenting.
