Introducing your child to water and teaching him or her to swim is a long process. You want your child to be as calm as possible around the water, but you also want him or her to be adventurous and have fun while swimming. Many parents and experts suggest that you should introduce your child to water from the very beginning with baths and other water experiences, but an inflatable pool is usually the first step towards swimming.
Small and Manageable
A large pool is unsuitable when you are first introducing your child to swimming. He or she is used to the bathtub, and even that seems fairly large compared to his or her relative size. Telling your child to swim in a pool meant for adults can easily overwhelm the child. He or she might be afraid of drowning or getting caught in so much water. While there are certainly exceptions, these pools are unsuitable for most children.
An inflatable pool is different. It gives the child and small and manageable area to swim and independently discover water. Unlike bath times that are overseen by parents, swimming is a fun and independent activity where adults can help, but it’s up to the child to swim.
Inflatable pools also greatly minimize the chance of your child drowning. While you will definitely want to watch him or her, especially at first, most of these pools are so small that your child should be able to stand in them. This also gives your child a sense of comfort because it reduces fear and anxiety.
Moveable
Another benefit is that they are moveable. This might seem completely unrelated to swimming, but it does have precedence. Children want some control of their world. They want to move things, ask questions and know that they can change their environment. This helps your child become acquainted with the world at large.
An inflatable pool is so light that it can usually be moved even if it’s full of water. This allows your child to do two things. He or she can tell you where to put the pool, which ensures that your child is a little more comfortable with it. Your child can also move the pool, which ensures better interaction with it.
If your child can become well acquainted with the pool, then this should help him or her comfortably swim without any problems.
Larger Bathtub
Another reason why inflatable pools are great is because they are like a larger bathtub. Your child is getting bigger, and he or she understands this. Most children want to experience bigger things as they get closer to being the size of an adult. They went from the sink to the tub, and now they want to transition to the pool. It’s nothing more than a bigger tub that’s outside and specifically for play and fun.
You can even explain it to your child like this, which should ease any worries and make the pool easier to understand. You can add toys to make it seem even more like a tub.
Private
Many areas have community pools that are easy to access. While some children might immediately take to these pools, they usually aren’t the best place to introduce your children to swimming. Most children prefer a quieter area without other children jumping around and yelling to try something new.
An inflatable pool gives you this privacy. If you have a backyard, even a small one, then you should have more than enough room for an inflatable pool. These pools are made to be easy. Just inflate it, place it in the yard and you immediately have an area where your child can practice swimming without onlookers.
Sit and Play
Some children will be very hesitant about swimming. They might distrust the pool or being around more water. The beauty of an inflatable pool is that most of them are deep enough so that the child can sit without his or her head going under the water. This gives your child the opportunity to get used to the pool by sitting, splashing and playing. For some, this might be the natural transition needed from bath time to swimming time.
Don’t force your child to do anything that he or she isn’t ready for. If your child just wants to sit and play, then don’t interrupt. It’s better to use gentle encouragement instead of forcing your child to do more.
Holding
Most children want to be held when they go into the water. They have just been learning how to adjust to gravity and walking, and water is going to completely change their perspective. Not only that, but they are often unsure of pools. It’s a new experience, and they want some assurance that everything will be OK.
An inflatable pool is small enough so that you can easily hold your child’s hand regardless of where he or she is. If you get a somewhat larger inflatable pool, then you might be able to get into the pool with your child, which is preferable since it will show the child that people have fun in water.
Inflatable pools are a great way to introduce your child to swimming. Not only are they safe and easy to use, but they will give your child everything that he or she needs to be happy in the water.
Author Bio
Bob Quigly is a landscaping and family fun enthusiast who contributes to many blogs for BackyardOcean.com for inflatable pools a personal company here for your family.
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How did you introduce your child to swimming?
