Helping Kids get comfortable in the water (pre/non scuba)

[kidspot]

I take a number of the kids from church snorkeling quite frequently and lately one of the 9 year olds has been wanting to join in the fun, but she is terrified of the water.

Here's what we did last time out, and I'd appreciate any other tips you can offer to help her get comfortable in the water (P.S. she is trying because her best friend goes to the beach a lot and they want to be together, plus her friend is trying to convince her to get Scuba Certified when they both turn 12)

Started out with her on an innertube sitting above the water and being towed around in about 3 ft. of water (full wetsuit in case she fell off to give her a little bouyancy) after about 30 min. I had her lie on her belly on the innertube. Then I placed a mask on the water and let her look through the glass. After a few minutes I asked if she would like to put the mask on her face so she wouldn't get water splashed in her eyes - she did. Now she would put her face in the water, then lift it out to breath and repeat. After a few more minutes I introduced a snorkel to her and she breathed off of it while looking under the water. Lastly I put fins on her feet and let her try paddling herself around on the innertube. All this took about 1 hr. She really enjoyed herself, and wants to try again, but she still would panic anytime the tube would rock a bit or she would start to slide off.

Next time out I'm hoping to replace the inner tube with a "Pool Noodle" (actually it's my dsmb blown up - same thing though) and hoping that in a few trips she'll be paddling around with everyone else. We are fortunate to have a very calm shallow area at a nearby beach that works well for this.

So any other suggestions for helping to introduce nervous kids to the water?

Aloha, Tim

P.S. Her two older siblings are already OW certified.

 

[StSomewhere]

Sorry, but you are doing things in the wrong order. She will *have* to be comfortable in the water before snorkeling.

I'm sure there are very good Red Cross certified instructors in your area that specialize in helping nervous kids (and adults!) get comfortable in the water (floating, attempt at freestyle, backstroke, etc.) You might consider private lessons if necessary to get her past that first hurdle. Then move to regular Red Cross approved lessons. And by regular I mean daily (M-Th or M-F) for as many two week or four week sessions as you can get her scheduled for this summer.

If she really wants to snorkel (and its possible that she may not want to!) let her know she has to be a swimmer first. That's how you'll know how motivated she really is.

Remember: "Nothing boosts self esteem like ability!"

 

[The Kraken]

Worked with a lot of kids like this in the Boy Scouts.
St. Some was on the spot when he stated the kids have to be comfortable in water.
You start them off in ankle deep water and progress to the point where they can bend over to blow bubbles.
With kids you should always have them in an area where they can see the bottom.
The operative phrase is "in the water", not on it.
Hope this can help.

the K

 

[kidspot]

Thanks for the help - I had not considered that before... Will definitely do some "rethinking" ...

Tim

 

[scubapolly]

In a former life I was a ARC swim instructor, and actually specialized in the "problem" kids who were terrified of water. Now I am a SCUBA instructor and spend my summers teaching kids to dive, so hopefully this will help:

St. Somewhere is right about starting off getting the comfort in the water first.
Start off giving the student (and their parent) a homework assignment. At bathtime at home the girl should put her face in the water. Most kids are comfortable in the bath tub so it is an excellent place to start. The first step is blow bubbles. Put their mouth in the water and make the motor boat sound, once comfortable with this then put the whole face in the water. I like to have them do this initially with their eyes cloased and no goggles- in my experience this works the best. Once they have gotten that down add the goggles. For this girl you might use a mask instead of goggles, since the goal is to do diving. Depending on this girls fears this can take anywhere from about 2 nights to 2 weeks.

Once she is comfortable with this move on to a swim pool, the shallower the better. If you can find a kiddie pool that is even better. But it needs to be up to her knees, but not over her head. Knee to waist deep is the best if you can find it. Go back through the same progression. This time introduce the snorkle. No floatation devices, she needs to be able to touch the bottom. Once she is comfortable with her face in the water in this water, add a life jacket/snorkling vest and head to a pool about 4 feet deep so that she becomes comfortable somewhere she can't stand- face in the water.

Next she will be ready for a shallow calm open water area. Minimal surf! With the life jacket and snorkle. Prior to the open water, you might want to make sure she knows what is going on under water- a trip an aquarium can be a big help.

What I have described is by no means a substitute for this girl getting swim lessons. She should be taking ARC or YMCA swim lessons before or during this process.

Good luck!

 

[kidspot]

Thanks ScubaPolly,

I had not actually intended to be doing this, just that she started coming with the others this week on one of our snorkel days. I know her parents so I'll talk with them about swimming lessons - that's how I got started, my mom was/is afraid of the water and didn't want her kids to be so she and my Dad signed us up for swim lessons starting when we were about 5 and by 10 I was on a swim team and went to the pool daily till High-School. Unfortunately while it helped me, I don't remember a time being afraid of the water, thus I wasn't quite sure where to start...

Thanks again,

Tim

 

[RebreatherDave]

I have been diving for 33 years and some things still creep me out, like my fins hitting the bottom upon descent before I can see the bottom if the visibility is poor...dang I hate that! lol....I still refuse to walk barefoot in freshwater algae laden ponds, who knows what little biting bugs can be lurking in the mud, lol....

I was always freaked out about the ocean when I was a kid when it came to swimming. I think your approach is a good one. I would ask the kid what freaks them out. You may not get a straight answer, I never had a good handle on it. Most kids will probably be fine in a clear freshwater swimming pool, but not the ocean. What would have worked for me is the ability to be on an inflatable raft in water shallow enough I could stand up in, and have a mask and snorkel on with some training on how to use a snorkel. As long as there aren't waves crashing around, and there is stuff to see deeper, the kid will naturally progress at a rate comfortable for them and curiosity will be their motivator, not some adult pushing them.

As to the girl, she needs to fully feel the effects of a wetsuit that will float her, so she doesn't need the perceived floation safety of the inner tube. BUT, she might also view the innertube as some sort of physical barrier to creepy creatures underneath her. I know when I was a little urchin I thought there were crabs under my bed and if I walked up to the edge at night they might pinch my feet, so I ran towards my bed at night and jumped the last few feet.....I must have thought crabs only hid there at night, because I never did this during the day....

I think you are doing a very effective job and I have to really commend you for your very thoughtful approach.