Anxiety in the water for a child learning to swim can be a common problem but the ways this anxiety manifests can vary. A swim teacher once asked for guidance with a particular concern. She had a toddler who kept having poop accidents during her swimming lessons. After the third time of this happening – her parents took her out of the swimming lessons to completely potty train her before resuming swimming lessons. They took a few months break from swim lessons and on her return at her first lesson, within the first 10 minutes the child had another accident in the pool. The child never did this during bath time or during recreational swimming – just during swim lessons.
One of the reasons young children keep having accidents in lessons could be anxiety. All adults can still remember how they felt when they took their driving tests or when they sat big exams at high school or university. We felt sick to our stomachs with nerves and anxiety!
Children are no different, they feel anxiety and stress too but without the verbal skills and the vocabulary to express their fears and talk about their anxieties, it shows itself in other ways.
So, if a child gets anxious in the lessons and generally about being in the water and swimming pool, unfortunately, ‘accidents’ can happen. A one-off is a different thing but happening regularly, anxiety needs to be considered as a causal factor.
If children start associating water or the feeling of being in water with uneasiness and danger, water will be a source of anxiety for these kids and it’s important to try and manage this as early as possible.
Steps to Combat Swimming Anxiety In ChildrenWhen I see a timid child in our lessons, one of the first things I’ll do is try to find out if his/her parents can swim.
Science tells us that parental anxiety can rub off on children so they subconsciously fear those things that parents are fearful of; it could be spiders or swimming.
A child who is tense or anxious in the water may have parents who can’t swim or who are also wary in the water. Additionally, the pressure of non-swimming parents to ensure their child MUST swim can create or exacerbate anxiety in that child.
For anxious children,group lessons format could not work and they need 1:1 lessons.
In private swimming lessons, the swim teacher is able to provide very focused attention to one child. Some kids are required to be provided constant reassurance and security to feel safe in the water.
They really need 1:1 attention until the confidence has built up.
After water confidence is gained, often a much more successful and happier experience for that child can be shaped in swimming lessons.
So, if your toddler or pre-schooler is anxious about swimming, stopping swimming lessons, may not be the solution. Taking a break will not resolve any issues with regards to fear of water and sometimes the aqua phobia can get worse as children get older.
Some parents think by starting swimming lessons again when their children are older and at school (around 5 years old), they will have a better listening skills so it make more sense to invest in swimming lessons at that later stage.
Whilst this way of thinking has some merits depending on the child and every family’s circumstances, if water is the source of anxiety for your child, that needs to be to addressed separately and irrespective of your child’s age.
Regular and playful exposure to water is the best way to build water confidence.
You need to ask yourself as a parent ‘can I afford private lessons?’ If yes, try one-to-one lessons for your anxious child and see if anything changes.
You may also find reading our blog about how parents can help their kids learn to swim useful too.
A good swim school with professional staff
My girls have been going to Blue Wave Swim School for over 2 years, they have been looking forward to each lesson and keep practicing the swimming tricks even in a bath. All teachers and an owner of the school has been friendly, very professional. They found unique approach and made kids happy, but most importantly show them how to swim and have fun. Thank you very much from our family to Blue Wave Swim School.
April 19, 2021, www.yell.com
Easter 2021 Crash Course
Various lockdowns have held back my daughter’s swimming development so we opted for a crash 4 day course over Easter and she has come away from it much more confident and with a recognisable stroke as opposed to doggy paddle!
April 19, 2021, www.yell.com
Although I have only attended two lessons, Marjan’s bubbly personality makes you feel instantly at ease. During the lessons, the pool was not very busy which is a good thing (as opposed to public pools) for those who are anxious.
I would strongly recommend to adults who have experienced trauma with water at a certain time in their lives.
November 24, 2020, www.yell.com
My son has been going to swimming lessons at Blue Wave in Wimbledon for a few years now and thoroughly enjoys it. The teaching is great and the lessons well run. Helps to prepare him for when we finally get to go on holiday again!
September 26, 2020, www.yell.com
Highly Recommended
My son went to improve his swimming technique and found his instructor very helpful, very kind and patient. The school itself is very welcoming and feels safe for all the children who go there. I would highly recommend it.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Excellent results
My son is 4 years-old and we were looking for weekend swimming classes in a nice environment that could bring good results. After some research we chose Blue Wave Swim. Our son has been having private lessons since the end of 2018 and he is progressing very well. We believe the professionalism of the team, the clean and tidy infrastructure, and the good care of the management are contributing for his development and confidence in the water. Thank you very much Blue Wave Swim!
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Awesome!
I am grateful to Marjan and her team at Blue Wave Swim for their hard work and for promoting happiness and enjoyment in swimming. It is amazing to watch the lessons, see the attention, the encouragement and the support the children receive. I have been impressed with my daughters’ progress and the fact that they love attending their classes and learning a vital life skill. Thank you very much. Great job!
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Superb Swimming School in Wimbledon
My daughter, who is now 7 years old, started with blue wave two years back and we have been very happy with her progress at the school. Initially we started with group lessons but once she got comfortable in water we moved her to semi private lessons, which made a lot of difference in her ability to learn swimming. As part of the smaller group she is better bonded with other children in the group and gets more attention from the swimming instructor, which is helping her advance her swimming skills. During her 2 years with blue wave, swimming instructors for my daughter have changed and while continuity in learning was maintained, I think this could have been managed better. Needless to say, she still goes and enjoys her time here and looks forward to her class every week. Overall we are very pleased with Blue Wave and would recommend them without any hesitation.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Highly recommend
Highly recommend this swimming school. My daughter has been attending since she was 1 years old and she loves it. The teachers are very good with children and my daughter, who is now 4 years old is very confident in the water.
August 23, 2019, www.yell.com
Swimming lessons as early as 3 years of age can definitely take care of this problem. It is also noticed that kids feel more comfortable in group swimming lessons, so maybe getting few of their friends to join along could be great help. Lastly, it’s vital to never force them inside water. That can have serious repercussions on their confidence and ability to swim.