Learning Submersion Skills at Steve Wallen Swim School in Roseville and El Dorado Hills
For many children, the true magic of water is found in its depths. There is a true wonder in being weightless, turning and rolling around in the near silence when underwater. If your child is able to submerge and play like an otter under the water, they have genuinely mastered being comfortable in the water. There is nothing like this feeling, and there is no way of being closer to being a dolphin, shark, or fish than in that moment!
Swim instructors worldwide teach and encourage the mastery of submersion because it is so much more than magic. Being this comfortable under the water, being at home while submerged, is also a critical safety skill. Imagine being thrown overboard from a boat, suddenly falling from a high pier, or falling from a ferry deck. In these instances, our bodies will more than likely break the surface of the water and submerge.
“Drowning is #1 cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 years old” stopdrowningnow.org
It is critical that when this happens, we do not panic. We must stay calm. We must have the presence of mind to right ourselves in the water, determine which way is up to the surface and which way is down. For this reason, at Steve Wallen Swim School, submersion is a water safety skill that is taught when your child is ready to learn it. This skill is broken down into “mini” attainable skills, just like all of our other step-by-step learn-to-swim skills.
Swimming Milestone Ribbon Program
As part of our Milestone Ribbon program, we begin learning to submerge by offering a blue ribbon, which symbolizes that the face in the water is magic! This ribbon is to capture that special moment when your child first gets their face all wet. Next, a red ribbon is earned when they can blow bubbles or hold their breath, with their face in the water, for five seconds!
Learning to jump into the pool without any help from their instructor is highlighted with a rainbow ribbon! Next, a pink ribbon is presented to students that retrieve a ring from the four-foot depth area of the pool without any help from their instructor. Of course, as always, they are closely supervised!
Learning Water Safety With Every Stroke
When these skills are learned alongside swimming strokes and water safety knowledge, your child becomes water safe. Consider the milestone ribbons as an encouragement for those who might need an extra bit of reward or incentive to urge them on or those children who are competitive and want to earn all of our ribbons as quickly as they can.
Register For Swim Lessons At Our El Dorado Hills or Our Roseville Location Today!
The most important message is that your child is learning to be comfortable in the water by learning to submerge safely and with comfort, ease, and fun. Should the unthinkable happen in or near the water, you and your will be that much more prepared for it. However, your vigilant supervision in and around the water is always required. Come learn to swim with us at our fantastic swim school in El Dorado Hills and Roseville.
