Welcome Song in Little Harbor
Why: Buoyancy, Balance and Socialization!
How: Gather in a circle and have parents lengthen their arms to support their student to create the Little Harbor position. This position allows student to explore the feelings of buoyancy and balance with support. Encourage parents to support as low in the water as possible so the student can learn to stabilize their position (parents may need to bend their knees slightly to achieve this). Parents and students are also free to splash their hands while singing along. This reminds the parents, infants and toddlers that the water is everywhere and helps to acclimate them to that sensation.
Song Lyrics: _______is here today __________is here today _________ let’s all splash the water __________ is here today!
Noodle Boat Obstacle Course with Parent
Why: To practice Buoyancy, Balance and Movement with the help of equipment.
How: Have parent place the student into the noodle boats facing the ring then gently tighten the ring. Be sure the student is positioned so that the noodle is at their armpits and their back is against the curve of the noodle. This creates a batter feeling of balance and results in the student being more comfortable in the noodle boat. Note; Place a small plastic ball under an infants chin if they are not able to independently hold their head up.
FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS; Encourage parents to lessen or remove their support of the noodle to allow student to feel buoyancy and balance while being less supported.
Elevators
Why: To practice Breath Control, Buoyancy and Balance
How: Gather parents and stand in a circle. Instruct parents to support the child under the arms facing the center of the circle. Sing “Five little ducks went swimming one day, over the hill and far away mother duck said quack, quack quack and 3 little ducks came swimming back. At the end of the song, count 1-2-3 lift child up then submerge. Repeat. Submerging is not necessary all five times, but try for every other, add extra movements ask you sing the song such as swaying back and forth or lifting up “over the hill.”
For More Advanced Students; Once fully submerged, encourage parent to release the child and allow them to float back to the surface. The release allows movement in a vertical position which reinforces the water’s lifting force.
Big Mirror Back Float
Why: To practice Buoyancy and Balance on the back.
How: Assist parents with supporting their children on their backs in the cheek-to-cheek position. Have them travel backward under the big mirror for several rounds to help students relax on their backs. Sing the song a few times to get students to relax on their backs.
FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS; Encourage students may be able to hold the object on their tummy while floating on their back to create independent buoyancy.
Belly Slide with Monkey Walk
Why: Breath Control, Submerging and Fun!
How: Set up an obstacle course to keep the class moving. Begin by having students monkey walk to the belly slide. Encourage them to climb out and lie on their belly on the small mat. Allow parent to cue 1-2-3 and have them slide in.
FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS; Encourage them to crawl down the mat to enter the water on their own and submerge!
Note; We DO allow infants to go down this slide head first as it is an natural way for a young infant to explore breath control!
Fishes in the Ocean
Why: Breath Control and Safety.
How: Students climb out at the edge of the pool, sit on the edge with their feet in the water and with or without parent’s assistance sing the song and fall in on cue. FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS; Encourage parents to submerge their child completely or to allow the to fall into the water independently and / or add the turn around by having parents position themselves at the side of their children and assist them with falling in on cue, submerging and turning to the wall.
Song Lyrics: Fishes in the ocean, Fishies in the Sea, we all fall in on 1-2-3!
Wheels on the Bus
Why: To end each class on a happy note!
How: Gather students and parents into a circle and pass out a small floating bus toy to each student. Ask the parents to match their actions to the lyrics of the song.
Song Lyrics: The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, the wheel on the bus go round and round all through the pool! Repeat with the following lyrics:
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- Windows go up and down!
- Wipers go Swish, Swish, Swish!
- Doors go open and shut.
- Horn goes beep, beep beep.
- Babies Wave Bye Bye.
PROPS
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- Toddler Noodle Boat
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- Hollow Noodle Fountain
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- Cones
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- Belly Slide Mat
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- Squirt Cars
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- Bus