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Lesson 1

Face in the Water & Breathing

Ages 2+ 8 to 10 min Ankle to waist deep

Before anything else, water needs to feel normal: on the face, in the ears, everywhere. This lesson has no swimming in it at all. It's just about building comfort and a steady breathing rhythm that every later skill depends on.

Step by step

1. Blowing bubbles

1

Bubbles at the surface

  1. Sit together at the pool edge with your feet in the water.
  2. Take a big breath in through the mouth, then blow out through the nose, like you're blowing your nose. Practice a few times. Hold a finger near the swimmer's nose to check that air is coming out, not going in.
  3. Lower your own chin to the water and blow bubbles. Let the swimmer watch and copy.
  4. Start with just the mouth in the water, then work up to the nose and mouth together.

2. Getting your face wet

2

Face dips

  1. Use a plastic cup to gently pour water over the swimmer's face, so they get used to the feeling of being underwater. Remind them to use the breathing they just learned: breathe in through the mouth, then blow out through the nose.
  2. Once the swimmer is comfortable, practice taking a big breath in and counting down "3, 2, 1". Then hold the breath and dip below the water. When they come back up, blow out through the nose again so no water goes up it.
  3. Dip just the chin and mouth first, working up to the whole face over several tries.
  4. Keep dips short and comfortable, with nothing over a second while building comfort, especially for young kids. A swimmer who can stand comfortably in waist deep water on their own can start at one second and build up to a few seconds.
Important

Never push past your limit. Always make sure there is enough air to get back to the surface comfortably.

3. Rhythmic breathing

3

Bob and breathe

  1. Standing in shallow water, take a breath in, then submerge fully for 1 to 2 seconds.
  2. Come back up, exhale and inhale quickly, then go back under.
  3. Build a steady rhythm: breathe in above the surface, blow bubbles below it.
  4. This rhythm becomes the foundation for every stroke later on.
Tip

Some swimmers resist having their face in the water more than others, so patience matters more than pace here. Stop while it's still fun, not after the first sign of frustration.

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