Learning to swim is a complex process and the journey is different for every child. Our reflex and sensory system can play a large part, and often we don’t notice what is happening. If we stop and watch a baby in the water, we can see them using their vestibular, proprioception system and their visual…

Learning to kick properly in swimming is much more complicated and unnatural than we first think. Babies come out of the womb with a protective reflex, and when placed in water resembles a ‘frog’ type kick, hence why many European countries teach breaststroke first. Following this, one of the first major motor skills children learn…

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog article, but on our holiday return to NZ from South Korea I reflected on the skill of swimming and what makes it so difficult to learn. As adults, many of us don’t remember the process of learning to swim and how complex it can be. We…

How can we help our children with their swimming skills over summer? Play! At the stage that most of our swimmers in a 10m pool are at, the best thing we can encourage them to do is have a lot of time in the water and play! If we try and encourage our kids to…

Our style of lessons are designed for maximum development for their age and stage of development. In preschool, we recommend 25 minute lessons in a group setting where children are not having to move/focus the whole time, but it is balanced with time to explore how their bodies move in water for safety and technique,…

Stages of Learning Even though motor skills vary widely in type and complexity, the learning process that individuals go through when acquiring various motor skills is similar. Paul Fitts (1964) designed three stages (or phases) of learning: the cognitive, associative, and autonomous stages. A ‘swimming motor skill’ at SwimSense has been outlined by our Challenger…

How long will it take my child to learn to swim? This is a question that goes through many parents’ minds. Learning to swim is a life skill so many families prioritise swimming as an activity throughout childhood. However it can be frustrating as it is not a motor movement that is natural to humans.…

It is very common to find a 2-4 year old who has been a confident and happy baby in the water, all of a sudden become ‘fearful’ or doesn’t enjoy the water for a period of time. We often say to parents, you may feel your child is taking a step backwards in regards to…