Your child is ready to learn how to front float if he can hold his breath and put his whole face in the water for at least 10 seconds. If he’s not quite there yet, start with Help Your Child Learn to Put Their Face in the Water.

February 2019 update: I originally wrote this blog post in 2016, and while it still holds up for children 4-years-old+, I have since discovered another fantastic approach to teaching floating. And not only is this technique extremely effective for this age group, but it is also just as persuasive and motivational for the 2-year-old+ child. I included two videos to show you the process. Click here and here.

To teach your child to float, you’ll need access to a swimming pool with wide shallow steps. If that’s not an option, then a bathtub is a good starting point. (Never leave your child unattended in a bathtub) An ideal water temperature is ninety to ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit.

Goggles and a nose clip

Head position for a successful front float

When floating on the front, a proper head position is essential. If you tilt your head up, lifting your chin, your body will start to descend. When your head is in a neutral position, your body will float.

Arms and legs should remain under the water

When first learning how to float, most children will arch their back, lifting their head and feet out of the water, resulting in their body dropping towards the bottom.

With more practice, they begin to relax and start to trust that the water will float them. The instinctive need to flail limbs becomes a thing of the past.

Let the feet be where they want to be

Many children will try to kick their feet up toward the surface, believing that a front float needs to be horizontal.

Everybody floats differently. It all depends on your body composition. Some bodies float with the feet on the bottom. Others float horizontally, and many bodies float somewhere in between. Each scenario is a perfectly good front float.

Encourage your child to do nothing with their feet. Let the feet be where they want to be. Easier said than done.

Is the water floating you?

If your child can hold himself up in a front float in the bathtub as described below and he can do this for at least ten seconds and is not trying to kick his feet up, it’s time to check in with him.

Ask him, “is your body floating?” “Is the water holding you up or are you holding yourself up?” Your child will probably say that the water is floating him. A step in the right direction.

Practice the front float in the bathtub

Have your child hold himself up in a push-up position with his arms supporting his weight. Now have him hold his breath, lower himself down and put his face in the water.

Encourage him to keep his face in the water to the count of ten (10 seconds). He may not want to do it for that long at first. Remember to practice patience and let him go at his own pace.

Practice this a few times during bath time or as many times as he wants. When he can do this for at least ten seconds consistently while his head is in a neutral position and he can let his feet be where they want to be, he can experiment with letting go.

Practice on the shallow steps of a swimming pool

Demonstrate this first. Place your hands on a step, take a breath and lower yourself down into the water and stay there for at least a few seconds.

Now encourage your child to do the same. He may want to start by laying face down on the top step, which is probably not deep enough to float. That’s okay. Let him start there if he wants.

After a few attempts, encourage him to try one of the other steps but never force. He’s ready to experiment with letting go when he can hold himself up with his head in the water in a neutral position for at least ten seconds consistently, and he can let his feet be where they want to be.

Experiment with letting go while on the steps

When he’s comfortable with a supported front float, he’s ready to let go one hand at a time. Demonstrate this first.

Hold yourself up in a push-up position on one of the steps with your face in the water. Let go with one hand for a couple of seconds, then put it back down. Now it’s your child’s turn.

Support him at the hips and don’t let go. Promise him that you won’t let go and keep your promise. It’s important that you earn and maintain his trust. Assuming that went well, try it again and encourage him to let go with both hands.

Practice as many times as he wants. If it’s going well when he lets go with both hands, ask him if it’s okay if you let go of him now. If he says yes, then go for it. How long to let go will depend on your child. You can set goals to float longer with these games.

You can also help him float from your shoulders and from the wall. Once you’ve introduced him to all of the options, ask him how he would like to practice or suggest mixing it up.

Experiment with letting go of the shoulders

Position yourself with your back to the steps. Squat or sit down right in front of the steps or on a step and have your child place his hands on your shoulders while you support him at his hips or upper torso.

Have him take a breath, put his face in the water for ten seconds. As long as he has both hands on your shoulders, you can briefly let go of him.

Have him put his face in the water again and this time, encourage him to drop a hand from your shoulder and into the water. Make sure that he drops his hand rather than lifts it up and out of the water. The latter will cause him to sink a little. If all goes well, encourage him to drop both hands.

When he’s comfortable with this, ask him if it’s okay for you to let go of him now. If he agrees, let go after he drops his hands in the water, but keep your hands close just in case you need to catch him if he loses control.

Practice this as many times as he wants and set goals to float longer. If he needs motivation, try these games.

Experiment with letting go of the wall

Have your child float while holding onto the wall or gutter. When he can do this for ten seconds, it’s time to let go one hand at a time. You may need to support him at his hips.

After he puts his face in the water, encourage him to let go with one hand. Make sure he drops his hand in the water, rather than lifting it up above the pool deck. Raising his hand will make his body drop.

Now it’s time to let go with both hands while supporting him. If all goes well, ask him if you can let go of him now. Remember to keep your hands close, just in case he panics.

To motivate him to float for long periods of time, try these games.

Learn to float while diving for rings

Some of my students have started to float when trying to dive for rings.

Drop the rings into the water beside the wall and next to the steps. Have your child hold onto the wall and squat down to pick up a ring. Encourage him to put his face in the water for each ring. He might need a little assistance to reach it since he probably won’t squat down far enough.

After about five to ten practice sessions, he’ll start to feel more confident and will be able to retrieve the rings independently and away from the wall.

Diving for rings in waist to chest-deep water is not only a fun challenge but also a great way to discover how to float.

Learn to sink, to learn to float

If your child still doesn’t trust that the water will float him, it’s time to teach him how to sink to learn how to float.

He’s ready to learn to sink if he can put his face in the water for at least ten seconds in a supported front float and he can let his feet be where they want to be.

Challenge him to try to sit down on the bottom. Demonstrate this if you need to. It’s not easy, but it’s fun to try.

Now it’s time to lay face down on the bottom. Demonstrate this first. If you accomplish this, your body will float back up to the surface. Instill in your child that it’s hard to sink because the water does such a good job of floating him.

Do it again and this time, have him push you down and sit on you if he wants to. It’s fun. My students love this game. Now challenge him to lay face down on the bottom. Before you know it, he’ll be floating.

How long will it take for my child to learn to float?

It all depends on your child and their level of fear. The more patient you are, the sooner your child will float. My most fearful students started floating independently after 9 or 10 thirty minute private lessons.

One day your child will just start floating, and it will be because you practiced patience, you let him go at his own pace, and you didn’t force him to do anything he didn’t want to do.

Now it’s time to Help Your Child Learn How to Back Float.

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Here are some suggestions for games to motivate your child to put their face in the water. You can use these same games when practicing other skills too. Just substitute “face in the water” for “front float” or “back float” etc.

For these activities, you’ll need torpedoes, rings and a treasure chest. You can also create your own games too. Keep it simple.

Don’t over do it. Somewhere between Three and ten attempts at the most. It all depends on the child. Remember to follow their lead and stop when they’ve had enough.

(This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclaimer.)

November 2018 update: I originally wrote this blog post in 2016. In my continued research to find new ways to fix water anxiety, I discovered these activities which are covered in the video. And they happen to be extremely effective for the 2-year-old+ child too. You will see how easy it is to get your kiddo to put his face in the water and even without goggles and a nose clip. The video includes how to use the treasure chest plus a few other persuasive and motivational activities.

Torpedoes

I like to show my students how the torpedoes move swiftly through the water. You’re now going to use them to motivate your child to put his mouth in the water.

Tell him that when he puts his mouth in the water, you’ll give him a torpedo that he can throw himself. Give it to him even if he just puts his mouth in for a split second.

Do it again. This time, challenge your child to keep his mouth in until you count to one (1 second), then he gets another torpedo.

Continue with this until he can keep his mouth in the water for 2 or 3 seconds. Follow the same instructions for putting his nose in the water and finally his whole face.

Rings

Hold the rings behind your back. When he follows your instructions as outlined above, have him guess which color ring that you’re going to pull out from behind your back and then give it to him regardless of the color.

Treasure Chest

There are probably many options for kids’ treasure chests. I use the Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Undersea Treasure Hunt.

I love it because it comes with six items. Four coins and two gems and it has an opening at the top for the coins like a piggy bank. It’s perfect for what we’re trying to accomplish.

Have your child follow the instructions as outlined in the torpedo game. When he does this, hand him a coin or a gem to put back in the chest. The coins are the best because they get to drop them through the slot.

Turn it into a guessing game. Watch the above video for instructions.

These are simple games and great motivators.  My students love them.

Now That He Can Put His Face in the Water – the Real Fun Begins

When they get comfortable with putting their face in the water, they’ll be able to reach down to the bottom in the shallow end to pick up the objects and then finally dive down for them. When they’re ready for this, start with the rings. They’re easier to grasp.

To begin the journey to help your child overcome his fear of water, he needs to start with being able to put his face in the water. And he’s not

going to want to try to put his face in the water if he’s not comfortable with having water poured down his face like this little guy in the video. (Also if he can’t even dip a toe in the water yet, start here.)

You’re going to want him to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. The following steps work well for children that are at least four years old. If you don’t have access to a pool, a bathtub works just as well.

November 2018 update: I originally wrote this blog post in 2016, and while it still holds up for children 4-years-old+, I have since discovered another fantastic approach in my continued research to fixing water anxiety. And not only is this technique extremely effective for this age group, but it is also just as persuasive and motivational for the 2-year-old+ child. I included a video to show you how easy it is to get your kiddo to put his face in the water and even without goggles and a nose clip. Click here.

(This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclaimer.) fear of water

Before you lure your child into the water you will need to be equipped with the following:

• Warm water – An ideal temperature should be somewhere between ninety and ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit.
• Patience – When helping your child, you may find that after a few unsuccessful attempts you may get frustrated and be tempted to shove your child’s face in the water. Fight the urge, or it will only prolong the process. Think to yourself, “what would __________ do?” Then fill in the blank with Mother Teresa, Gandhi or the Pope. This is the level of patience that I’m talking about.
• Objects that sink – Rings, torpedoes, and treasure are all great motivators.
• Goggles and a nose clip
• Patience – Did I mention this already? so  fear of water
• Other pool or bath toys that float – These sea creatures, pond bath toys and ducks have no holes for water to get in and they’re all BPA, phthalates, and PVC Free.
• Patience – It needs repeating. so fear of water

Follow your child’s lead. Don’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. Let him decide when he’s had enough.

Add some variety to the session. Include activities that will allow your child’s head to remain above the water. For example, you could have him practice kicking while sitting on the steps. If he’s comfortable enough to leave the steps, you can help him practice kicking while holding onto a noodle and maybe pick up floating objects like rubber duckies at the same time.

Each session should be no more than 30 minutes with about 20% of the time devoted to practicing putting his face in the water.

Time to Tackle That Fear of Water

Don’t move on to the next step until your child is completely comfortable and relaxed with the current challenge. This doesn’t apply to steps one or two.

1. Take a deep breath

Before entering the pool, have your child take a deep breath in, then let it out. Demonstrate this if you need to.

As an Instructor, I’ve had students that just won’t do this for me. It’s okay if they don’t. Just move on to step two.

2. Take a deep breath and hold it

Have him take another deep breath and hold it for a couple of seconds, then let it out. Again demonstrate this with your cheeks full of air. Say, “Look at my balloon face. Now you show me your balloon face.” If he won’t do it, it’s okay to move on to the next step.

From step three and beyond, each step will need to be mastered before continuing.

3. Putting the mouth in the water

Have your child sit on the steps. (But if he can’t even sit on the steps of the pool with his feet in the water, then start here.) Now, instruct him to take a breath, hold it with his balloon face, keep his mouth closed and put it in the water, like so. It’s time for you to demonstrate. Keep your mouth in the water for 2 or 3 seconds.

Now it’s his turn. Encourage him to try this and to do it to the count of 2 or 3. Explain that when your mouth is closed tight, no water can get in. He may do it without hesitation. If this is the case, move on to step 4.

If he doesn’t want to do it, ask him if he can get his chin wet. He might scoop up the water in his hand and bring it up to his chin, or he might just dip his chin in the water.

Now it’s time to play a little game with the objects that sink. You can create your own game or try these. Don’t overdo it. Somewhere between three to ten attempts at the most. It all depends on the child.

Remember to follow his lead and stop when he’s had enough. Now it’s time for step four.

4. Putting the mouth and nose in the water

When children first learn to put their nose in the water, they don’t always do a great job of keeping the water out of the nose. Show your child how you can hold your nose closed with your thumb and index finger.

Now take a breath and hold it, then put your mouth and nose in the water for 2 or 3 seconds. Encourage your child to do the same, even if it’s just for a split second.

Your child may not want to hold his nose closed. This is where you introduce the nose clip. If he resists it, put the nose clip on yourself and demonstrate how it does such a good job of keeping the water out of your nose. If he still resists, then it’s time to motivate him with these games.

When he can put his mouth and nose in the water for 2 or 3 seconds, it’s time for step five.

5. Putting the whole face in the water

You made it through the most challenging parts. The mouth and the nose. Time to put the whole face in the water.

Demonstrate this first. Close your eyes tight, take a breath and hold it with your balloon face, then put your whole face in the water for 2 or 3 seconds.

Encourage your child to do the same with his balloon face, even if it’s just for a split second. If he resists, introduce the goggles.

Demonstrate with the goggles. Ensure your child that the goggles do a great job of keeping your eyes dry. If he continues to resist, it’s time to break out the motivational games.

Keep practicing until your child can put his whole face in the water for at least 10 seconds, but don’t overdo it. It won’t necessarily all happen in one practice session.

Remember to be patient. Every child is different and has varying levels of fear.

Some of my students have been able to accomplish this by the end of their first 30-minute lesson. Other students have taken between 4 and 10 lessons before they can put their whole face in the water for at least 10 seconds consistently.

With His Face in the Water, He’s One Step Closer to Conquering His Fear of Water

Now that he can put his whole face in the water, he’s well on his way to conquering his fear. But your child might regress. It happens all the time. One day he can put his face in for 10 seconds, the next time it’s 5 seconds. Don’t worry. Just keep practicing. He’ll reach his goal of 10 seconds or more in his own time. And when he does, he will be ready to learn how to front float.

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