How to Help Your Child Practise Swimming Between Lessons

If your child has swimming lessons once a week, you may wonder whether there is anything useful you can do between classes.

There is.

But the answer is probably not to turn every family swim into another structured lesson.

Children often benefit most from extra pool time when they can repeat familiar skills, build confidence and simply enjoy being in the water.

A relaxed half-hour in the pool can sometimes reinforce what they are learning without your child even feeling as though they are practising.

Here are some simple ways parents can support swimming progress between lessons.

Should children practise swimming between lessons?

They can, but they do not have to.

Many children make perfectly good progress through their regular swimming lessons alone.

Extra supervised pool time simply gives them another opportunity to become familiar with the water and repeat skills they already know.

This can be particularly helpful for beginners because swimming involves movements and sensations that become easier through repetition.

The key is to keep the practice appropriate for your child's current ability.

Ask the swimming teacher what to practise

Before trying to teach your child lots of swimming techniques yourself, ask their instructor what they are currently working on.

A simple question such as:

"What would be useful for us to practise during family swimming?"

can give you much clearer direction.

Your child's teacher may suggest something very simple, such as:

• Blowing bubbles
• Floating with support
• Kicking
• Pushing and gliding
• Putting the face in the water
• Swimming a short distance they already know
• Practising a particular body position

This also prevents your child receiving completely different instructions from different adults.

Keep family swimming different from lessons

Children already have a swimming teacher.

They do not necessarily need another one during family pool time.

If every minute becomes:

"Kick harder."

"Put your head down."

"Do that again."

"Your arms are wrong."

the pool can quickly stop feeling enjoyable.

Instead, mix small amounts of practice with play.

You might spend five minutes repeating a skill from lessons and then let your child choose what they want to do next.

Swimming confidence grows through enjoyment too.

Practise blowing bubbles

For beginners, blowing bubbles is one of the easiest skills to practise together.

Start with the mouth close to the surface.

Encourage your child to blow gently into the water.

Once comfortable, they may gradually put their mouth and nose further in.

You can make it playful by trying:

• Tiny bubbles
• Big bubbles
• Long bubbles
• Taking turns
• Making funny bubble noises

Avoid breath-holding competitions.

The goal is simply to make breathing out into the water feel familiar and controlled.

Practise putting the face in the water

If this is something your child is already working on during lessons, family swimming can provide a relaxed opportunity to repeat it.

Do not force their head underwater.

Let them decide how far they want to go.

They might begin with:

• Chin in the water
• Lips in the water
• Blowing bubbles
• Nose in the water
• Eyes and face briefly underwater

Small progress is still progress.

If your child becomes uncomfortable, return to something easier.

Work on floating

Floating can look simple, but many beginners find it surprisingly difficult.

The body needs to relax and trust that the water will support it.

If their instructor has already introduced floating, you can practise with appropriate support.

For a back float, your child may initially want a hand underneath their upper back or head.

As they become more confident, you can gradually reduce the amount of support according to their ability.

Stay close and supervise throughout.

The aim is confidence and relaxation rather than seeing how long they can float.

Practise kicking

Kicking is another easy skill to repeat.

If your child already uses a kickboard during lessons and the pool allows one during family swimming, they can practise kicking short distances.

Without equipment, they may also hold the pool edge and practise a gentle kick.

Remind them of whatever simple instructions their teacher already uses rather than introducing a completely different technique.

Short, relaxed practice is usually more useful than exhausting them with repeated lengths.

Use the pool wall

The side of the pool can be a useful place for beginner practice.

Depending on your child's ability, they might practise:

• Holding the edge securely
• Moving sideways along the wall
• Turning towards the wall
• Pushing gently away from it
• Returning to the side after a short swim

These simple movements can help children feel more comfortable moving around the pool.

Always choose activities suitable for their current ability and follow the pool's rules.

Repeat skills your child already knows

Family swimming is usually not the best time to introduce a complicated new stroke from scratch.

Instead, reinforce things your child has already been shown.

Familiarity builds confidence.

If your child proudly tells you:

"We did this in my lesson!"

that is a good opportunity to let them demonstrate it.

You can then practise it together without needing to become their instructor.

Let your child show you what they learnt

One of the easiest ways to encourage practice is simply to ask:

"What did you learn this week?"

Children often love demonstrating something they have recently achieved.

It gives them ownership of the activity and can help you understand what their lessons currently involve.

You may be surprised by how much they remember when they are the one explaining it.

Play games that involve swimming skills

Practice does not have to look like practice.

Simple games can reinforce useful movements.

Depending on ability, you might:

• Blow bubbles together
• Move between two nearby points in shallow water
• Collect suitable floating toys
• Push gently away from the wall
• Practise different types of kicking
• Copy each other's movements
• Count controlled bubbles

Keep activities within your child's capability and maintain close supervision.

Fun is part of the purpose.

Do not make everything about distance

Parents naturally notice when a child swims further.

But distance is not the only sign of improvement.

During family swimming, you may notice your child:

• Puts their face in more willingly
• Floats with less support
• Recovers calmly after a splash
• Moves more confidently away from the wall
• Controls their breathing better
• Needs fewer reminders
• Appears more relaxed in the water

These changes matter.

A child can be making excellent progress without suddenly swimming an extra ten metres.

Should we practise without floats or buoyancy aids?

Follow what is appropriate for your child's ability and what their instructor or pool recommends.

Do not remove support simply because you want to see whether your child can manage without it.

Progress should be gradual.

If your child has been learning a skill with less support during lessons, you can ask the instructor whether it is suitable to practise the same way during supervised family swimming.

Avoid turning support removal into a test.

Can goggles help during practice?

If your child normally uses goggles during lessons, they may prefer using them during family swimming too.

Being able to see underwater can make activities such as bubbles, gliding and retrieving suitable objects more enjoyable.

However, it can also be useful for children to gradually become comfortable with ordinary splashes and water around their face.

There is no need to take goggles away from a child who enjoys wearing them.

Follow the same general approach used in their lessons.

What if my child only wants to play?

That is not necessarily a problem.

Play can still build water confidence.

A child moving happily around the pool, splashing, climbing in and out appropriately and exploring the water is gaining familiarity.

You can gently include little pieces of swimming practice without making the whole visit structured.

For example:

"Show me your bubbles before we play."

or:

"Let's do one kick to the wall and then you can choose the next game."

This often works better than announcing that you are going to practise for half an hour.

How long should we practise for?

There is no required amount of time.

For beginners, even a few focused minutes can be useful.

You might practise one or two familiar skills during a normal family swim and spend the rest of the visit enjoying the water.

Watch your child's mood and energy.

If their technique starts falling apart because they are tired, continuing for another twenty minutes is unlikely to add much.

Finish while the experience is still positive.

How often should we go swimming between lessons?

There is no need for every family to add extra pool sessions.

If family swimming fits comfortably into your routine and your child enjoys it, occasional extra practice can be valuable.

Some families may swim once between lessons.

Others might only visit occasionally during school holidays.

Both are fine.

Regular lessons can still provide meaningful progress without additional sessions.

Extra swimming should feel like an opportunity, not another obligation.

What if my child refuses to practise with me?

This happens.

Some children behave very differently with their swimming teacher than they do with a parent.

They may happily follow instructions during class but refuse to demonstrate anything when you ask.

Try not to turn it into a conflict.

Let them enjoy the pool.

You can occasionally offer an activity, but if they would rather play, that family swim can still be useful simply because they are spending positive time in the water.

Should I correct their swimming technique?

A little reinforcement is fine, especially if you are repeating a simple instruction their teacher already uses.

But avoid giving constant technical corrections unless you are confident you understand what they are being taught.

Swimming technique can be surprisingly detailed.

Too many different instructions can confuse a child.

If something looks wrong or they repeatedly struggle with a movement, mention it to their swimming teacher.

The instructor can decide what needs correcting and when.

What if my child practises something incorrectly?

Do not panic.

A few imperfect kicks during family swimming are unlikely to undo all their lessons.

If you know the simple cue their instructor uses, remind them gently.

Otherwise, move on and let the teacher handle the technical detail at the next lesson.

The main purpose of family practice is confidence and familiarity, not perfect stroke analysis.

Can siblings practise together?

Yes, if the activities are suitable for both children and everyone is appropriately supervised.

However, avoid turning it into a competition.

One sibling may naturally be a stronger swimmer.

Instead of asking:

"Who can swim furthest?"

try activities where each child can work at their own level.

Comparison can quickly remove the relaxed feeling you are trying to create.

How can I tell if the extra practice is helping?

Look for changes over several weeks.

Your child may:

• Settle into lessons more quickly
• Remember familiar skills more easily
• Become more confident putting their face in
• Need less support when floating
• Appear more relaxed in the pool
• Be more willing to try what the instructor asks
• Start asking to go swimming

These are all useful signs.

Extra practice does not guarantee faster progression through swimming stages, but greater familiarity can help many children feel more comfortable learning.

Keep safety separate from swimming ability

A child becoming a stronger swimmer does not remove the need for appropriate supervision.

Do not assume that because your child can swim a short distance during lessons they can manage every situation independently.

Pools can differ in depth, temperature and environment.

Children can also become tired.

Continue following pool rules and supervising according to your child's age and ability.

Swimming practice should always happen in an appropriate environment.

The bottom line

Helping your child between swimming lessons does not require you to become their second swimming teacher.

The most useful thing you can often provide is more positive, supervised time in the water.

Repeat skills they already recognise.

Practise bubbles, floating and kicking when appropriate.

Let them show you what they have learnt.

Ask their instructor what would be useful to reinforce.

And make plenty of room for ordinary play.

A few relaxed minutes of practice during an enjoyable family swim can be more valuable than turning the entire visit into another lesson.

The goal is to help swimming feel increasingly familiar and enjoyable while allowing their instructor to guide the technical learning.