This Is How to Get Your Child to Put Their Face in the Water

Can you believe it's May already? It seems like the year just started. May is one of my favorite months of the year, for two reasons.

First, it's Mother's Day. I love Mother's Day. It's like a birthday, but even better — because you're still the same age you were the day before.

And secondly, my husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary! This year marks 20 beautiful years together. Wow — where did the time go?

International Water Safety Day

Another event that happens every May is International Water Safety Day (IWSD), which takes place on the 15th. In recognition of IWSD, I thought it would be a good idea to update the very first blog post I ever wrote — because before you can be water safe, you need to address the fear of water first.

That first post is Fear of Water? Help Your Child Learn to Put Their Face in the Water.

I was inspired to beef up my post by a swim instructor from my online community who contacted me recently asking for help. After following the steps in my blog post, their 7-year-old student still couldn't put their face in the water. So I thought it was time to make some changes.

Since I first wrote that post, I've discovered more innovative ways to help children want to put their face in the water — and I'm going to share them with you today.

If your 4+ year old still can't put their face in the water, this is for you

Some children are so fearful they can't even sit on the steps of the pool

So before even thinking about motivating them to put their face in the water, work on just getting them comfortable putting their feet in.

They may need to observe other children enjoying themselves at a pool first, before even dipping a toe. And when they're ready to sit on the steps — don't force it, let them go at their own pace — you can try the following:

• Your child won't want to put his face in the water if he's not comfortable with water being poured down his face. This is the first step. He can practice during bath time. You can also try to get him comfortable with showers.
• Encourage your child to practice putting his face in the water with a washcloth covering his whole face during bath time, or even just into a large bowl of water.
• The same can be done during a swim lesson on the steps of the pool. The bowl of water is less intimidating than a large body of water — a swimming pool is terrifying for children with a fear of water. The smaller the body of water, the more comfortable he'll feel. The washcloth gives him a sense of security. If this isn't working, have him cover his chin with the washcloth first and dip only his chin in. Then work up to the whole face.
• If your child isn't willing to try the above, have him hold the washcloth over his face and pour water over his head (or have him do it himself). The more control he has, the more comfortable he'll be. Then have him try it without the washcloth. If he's comfortable with water spilling over his head, he might now be willing to put his washcloth-covered face in the water — maybe even without the washcloth. If he's still not ready, I find motivational games go a long way.

The treasure hunt

I use the Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Undersea Treasure Hunt.

Have your student sit on the steps of the pool. Reach into the treasure chest and pull out one piece of treasure (don't let him see it). Hold the hidden piece under the water between his feet.

Now tell him to hold his breath, hold the washcloth over his mouth and nose, and put his face in the water (while wearing goggles) until you count to 1 or 2. At that point, lift your hand to reveal the treasure.

Repeat with all the pieces, encouraging him to keep his face in one second longer if it went well, or the same length of time if he needs more practice. You can also turn it into a guessing game — my students love guessing which piece of treasure I have hidden under my hand.

Turtle eggs

These turtle eggs are an enormous hit with my students. I introduced them the week leading up to Easter, and now every week all my students want are the eggs. They've motivated my students to try their best with all skills — even the ones they don't like. They're progressing more quickly than ever before, and it's all thanks to the eggs.

To use the turtle eggs, do the same activity you do with the treasure. After he puts his face in the water, open the egg to reveal the baby turtle. But before you open it, ask him to guess the color of the turtle (six eggs in all, with five green turtles and one red). The children love the baby turtles — "they're so cute!" is the usual response.

For more specific instructions to encourage your child to put his face in the water, see Fear of Water? And for even more games to motivate him, see Games to Motivate Your Young Swimmer.

If any of you are struggling with this issue, I hope I've helped shed some light on the subject. I'd love to know if any of my suggestions worked.

Love the water, but fence it in, Tessa

P.S. Get the free water-safety app to help keep your family safe in, on, and around the water. It includes kid-friendly videos and quizzes — search the App Store or Google Play for "Swim by American Red Cross."