Description
This course imparts Birthlight’s original baby swimming practices backed up by clear rationales. Part 1 relates to babies aged 2 months to 10-12 months (variable). Part 2 expands practices taught in Part 1 for babies in their second year (12-24 months), with additional resources for beginner toddlers. The aim is to equip participants to teach parent-baby pairs (including non-swimming parents) with proficiency and confidence.
PART 1
Course contents include:
- How to empower parents to let the water support their babies: parent immersion and use of the properties of water for baby swimming
- A repertoire of 6 ‘relaxed holds’ allowing parent-baby communication and well supported gentle movements in water from a stable stance (demonstrations with dolls)
- ‘Relaxed baby floats’ progressing from ‘cradle float’ in arms to floating with hand support
- Rhythmical sequencing of mini-moves, rapid and slow, that support babies’ integration of primitive reflexes in the first year
- Use of water noodles to support parents in ‘front rides’, floating on their backs with their babies on board
- Common ‘baby cues’ through which babies communicate their readiness or resistance to specific water practices and resources to help parents respond appropriately
- Playful techniques to gradually detach babies from parents’ bodies
- ‘Mirroring practices’ to familiarise parents with babies’ sensory integration in water including joint preparation for submersion
- Fundamentals of research on how babies learn and build memories (applied to baby swimming)
- Practical resources to support different parents and babies individually and in groups
You will also learn:
- How to prepare class materials with options to change plans if needed
- How to engage parents in observations and ‘learning from their babies’
PART 2
- Fluid transitions between ‘relaxed holds’ to encourage babies’ self-propulsion
- How to teach a set of upright practices to encourage rotation as a foundation of swimming
- Model circuits including rafts, wall bar and/or pool steps to gradually ‘widen the gap’
- in jumps
- Use of props to promote ‘water body balance’
- Fundamentals of anatomy of physiology for the second year relevant to motor skills in water
- ‘Learning plateaus’ and activities to sustain parents’ interest
- How to promote enjoyable spontaneous submersions
- Integration of beginner toddlers in mixed groups: patterns of progression, techniques to promote parents’ relaxed handling of tentative toddlers
- Water safety skills for the second year
- First transitions to unaided swimming
You will also learn:
- How to chart progressions of babies/toddlers in the water
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