How Important Is It for Children to Learn How to Float?

Learning to Float Is Really Important for Children to Master Early On

Not least because it is an essential for safety. If a child accidentally falls into water and they don’t know how to float, they are more likely to panic and get into difficulty. In conjunction with breath control and swimming mechanics, teaching a child to float helps them feel relaxed and comfortable in their water environment. They learn about their natural buoyancy and move more efficiently through water rather than thrashing around to stay afloat.

The good news is that under six months, babies can often float really well with assistance from a carer. Their high body fat content, lack of fear and having spent nine months floating around in amniotic fluid, means they are quite relaxed in a horizontal position in water. (People with lean bodies often find it difficult to achieve consistent floating positions).

At AquaBuddies, our instructors in Coogee and Bondi teach floating from the very first parent-and-baby classes, building the foundations of water safety from the earliest age.

Do Babies Float Naturally?

Babies often float well when a carer is supporting them. A high body fat content helps, and babies are usually relaxed lying back in the water. But floating with support is not the same as floating alone. A young baby cannot look after their own safety in the water, so a carer's hands stay on them the whole time.

That is why floating practice with a baby is always hands-on, in a calm pool with a qualified instructor and a parent in the water. Healthdirect also reminds parents that babies must be watched constantly and kept within arm's reach, and that swimming lessons and skills alone are not enough to prevent drowning.

How to Teach a Child to Float

Here is how our instructors teach floating, step by step. Always go at your child's pace, and keep a hand on babies and young children the whole time.

Before the age of one, babies and toddlers are developing the motor skills that allow them to sit up independently. At this stage, they may start to struggle against being on their backs in the water because of their urge to sit upright.

The easiest way to encourage floating is to have a child relax their head onto their parent or carer’s shoulder, with hands supporting their back. Children can often be encouraged to lie back by distracting them with a mirror held above so they can watch themselves, or by placing a toy above their heads. In this position, we encourage children to breathe normally and relax, spreading their legs slightly and putting their arms outwards to form a starfish shape.

At AquaBuddies we work with each child at their own pace, recognising when they are ready to try new things. We never force a child to do something that scares them or puts them off learning to swim.

Once a child gets comfortable in the floating position, we gently move their head off the shoulder while still supporting their backs with our hands. Little by little, you can reduce the support to one hand, or rotate the hands, or apply fewer fingers supporting the child until they reach independent floating.

Rolling on to their tummies to float on their front is gradually encouraged, with the child holding onto the shoulders of their teacher, or one of the steps in the pool. The teacher can put their hand underwater to count with their fingers to five seconds so that the child can concentrate on a visual achievement.  

Should Children Use Floatation Devices?

To wear floaties or go without? It’s a subject that divides opinion.

One school of thought is that flotation devices give children a false sense of security in the water. The argument runs that children become easily dependent on these flotation aids which makes it harder for them learning to swim independently.

Most flotation devices – arm bands, rubber rings, jackets etc – are designed to keep the body upright in the water. But when learning to swim, we want to encourage children to adopt a streamlined, horizontal position.

You often hear children say when wearing a floatie: ‘Look at me, I can swim.’ But it’s misleading and potentially dangerous for children to think that they can swim just because a device is keeping them afloat.

Children need to learn about buoyancy and how their body feels and moves in the water. Floaties don’t let them do that.  

Using Flotation Aids in Classes

At this point, some parents may be thinking: What about the use of noodles in swimming classes? Aren’t those also a flotation aid? The answer is yes they are – but it is how they are used that is crucial. Noodles are used by professional swim coaches to support and maintain a student’s horizontal position in the water. A noodle can be used to encourage a child to develop proper swim mechanics such as kicking their legs behind them.

Austswim, Australia’s national organisation for the teaching of swimming and water safety, says that flotation aids may assist a child to gain confidence, independence and skill. However, they add that any activity undertaken with a flotation device must also be attempted without one.

But these arguments are not suggesting that arm bands or rubber rings etc are always bad, all of the time. Every time a child goes to the pool, it doesn’t have to be a lesson in swimming. Playing is not the same as a formal lesson but it is still a valuable time for children to enjoy being in water and gaining confidence – and if a flotation aid helps with that, then why not.  

How to Begin Weaning Your Children Off Floatation Devices

Showing confidence in a child’s ability to swim independently goes a long way to encouraging them to try new things.

Experts suggest a good way to begin is by putting a child on steps in shallow water and standing a little way apart from them in the water. Get your child to launch themselves off the steps to ‘swim’ towards you using paddle strokes. As they grow confidence you can move further away.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Floating

Q: What age should children learn to float?

A: Babies can begin learning to float with support from as young as 4-6 months in our parent-and-baby classes. Independent floating is introduced gradually as children progress through our learn to swim program.

Q: Is floating a water safety skill?

A: Yes, floating is one of the most important water survival skills. It allows a child to stay above water and signal for help if they get into difficulty, which is why we teach it from our earliest classes.

Q: Do I need to teach my child to float at home?

A: Bath time is a great opportunity for gentle water familiarity. However, proper floating technique is best taught by a qualified instructor in a safe pool environment.

Q: Do babies float naturally?

A: Many babies float well when a carer is supporting them, thanks to their high body fat content and relaxed lying-back position. But floating with support is not the same as floating alone, so a baby needs an adult's hands on them and within arm's reach at all times.

Q: Why do babies float in water?

A: Babies have a high body fat content, which helps them stay buoyant, and they tend to be relaxed in a horizontal position. That is why floating is a gentle place to start in our parent-and-baby classes.

Q: At what age can kids swim without floaties?

A: There is no set age, because it depends on skill rather than birthdays. Children should spend time in the water without flotation aids so they do not become overly dependent on them, and they move on in lessons when they are ready. You can see how our levels work on our Learn to Swim page.

Want to help your child gain confidence in the water? Explore our Learn to Swim programs to get started or get in touch with our team.