Homework Ideas
Kids get the most benefit from lessons when they are practicing at home also – IN or OUT of the water.
Here are some ideas of what to practice based on the level your child is at.
Level 1
Holding breath in the bathtub (put diving toy at the bottom, ask child to put their face in and see how long they can hold it)
Float in bathtub (focus on ears in the water and chin/belly up)
Practice saying “mmmmm” (anytime, anywhere)
Rollovers (On the floor – Lay on your belly/head down with head sandwich, roll over to float on your back, repeat)
Back floating on the floor (out like a starfish, chin and belly up)
Pour water over head (in bathtub, sing a song and pour water over child’s head with a cup)
Level 1.5
- Holding breath in the bathtub (put a diving toy at the bottom, ask child to put their face in and see how long they can hold it. Start with 3 seconds. Each day add a second. Tell us how long you make it to the next week)
- Breathholding out of water (contest with sibling or parents – anytime, anywhere)
Straight leg kicks (laying down on the ground or bed – on tummy or back)
- Motor boat arms (make your head sandwich – standing, sitting, laying on the floor – practice all the time)
- Rollovers (on the floor – lay on your belly/head down with head sandwich, roll over to float on your back, repeat)
- Elementary backstroke (chicken, airplane, soldier: on bed – arms and legs – legs hanging off the bed)
- Teapot Dive (standing, head sandwich, touch hand to ground, lift up back leg)
Level 2
Backstroke (stand in front of mirror. Straight arm up, scrape your ear, straight arm down)
- Backstroke thumb up, turn, pinkie in (add this if bending arm on the way back down to side)
Elementary backstroke (Chicken, airplane, soldier- standing)
Shark fins (with or without breathing) (say leg, armpit, reach OR sharkfin reach) -standing
Teapot Dive (Lever hop to get legs together – hands on the ground, kicking legs up)
Straight leg kicks (laying down on the ground – on tummy or back)
Level 2.5
Backstroke (stand in front of parent/mirror. Bring one arm up straight with thumb out, slightly touch your face and turn your pinkie, then bring straight back down to the side)
Elementary backstroke standing (Chicken, airplane, soldier)
Shark Fins: AKA freestyle (standing in mirror: with or without side breathing (if with breathing, say “1,2,3,breath”)
Whipkick (legs off the bed…say bend, split, whip-straight)
Side bobs (in the bathtub)- Diving (Lever hop to get legs together – hands on the ground, kicking legs up)
Level 3-5
Whipkick (legs off the bed… say bend, split, whipstraight)
Breastroke arms (standing – have kids say “pull and breath, whip kick” with arm motion)
Shark Fins: AKA freestyle (standing in mirror: with or without side breathing (if with breathing, say “1,2,3,breath”)
Stand up dolphin kick / body roll (arms down by side, and like a mermaid/merman)
Butterfly arms (standing with the body wave / motion)
- Diving (Lever hop to get legs together – hands on the ground, kicking legs up)