The lesson is one hour a week. Here's how to make the other 167 hours count — without needing a pool.
One of the most common questions I get from parents is: 'What can we do at home to help?' It's a great question — and the answer goes beyond just finding extra pool time. A lot of what makes a great swimmer happens away from the water.
In the Pool (When You Can Get There)
Even one 30-minute recreational swim between lessons makes a significant difference. The goal isn't formal practice — it's reinforcement. Let your child lead: what do they want to show you from their lesson? What skill are they proud of?
- Ask them to show you bubble blowing, floating, or kicking drills from their lesson
- Play games that involve getting the face wet — coins on the pool floor, diving rings
- Encourage them to swim a short distance independently, even if it's just 2 metres
- Let them experiment freely — unstructured water play builds confidence as much as drills
Don't coach. Don't correct technique. Don't say 'that's not how Coach Nadine showed you'. Your role in recreational swims is cheerleader, not instructor. Contradictory feedback from parents and coaches is one of the biggest causes of confusion and regression in young swimmers.
Dry-Land Activities That Directly Help Swimming
Several physical activities build the strength, flexibility, and body awareness that transfer directly to swimming performance:
- Gymnastics or tumbling — body awareness, flexibility, and spatial orientation
- Dancing — rhythm, coordination, and bilateral movement (cross-lateral patterns)
- Yoga — core strength, breathing control, and flexibility (especially hips and shoulders)
- Skipping — cardiovascular fitness and coordination
- Hanging from monkey bars — shoulder strength and grip, both important for butterfly and freestyle
Breathing Practice (Yes, Really)
Breath control is one of the most underrated swimming skills — and one of the few you can practice without water. Try this with younger children: breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 2, breathe out for 6. Do it as a game while driving to school.
For children working on freestyle breathing, practice the head-rotation motion in front of a mirror. Lie on a bed, face down, arms extended, and practice turning the head to the side as if breathing in freestyle. It feels silly — and it works.
The Mindset Side
Celebrate progress, not perfection. When your child mentions something they found hard at a lesson, respond with curiosity: 'That's a tricky one — what do you think makes it hard?' rather than 'Don't worry, you'll get it.' The first builds a growth mindset; the second dismisses the difficulty.
Talk about swimming positively. Children who grow up hearing 'swimming is important and fun' develop a very different relationship with the pool than those who hear 'we have to go to swimming' as a chore.