5 tips to help your child gain confidence in the water after the holidays

Because confidence in water can be cultivated all year round!

Summer vacations most often rhyme with swimming and moments of sharing in the water, with family or friends. But after the sunny months, it sometimes happens that some children lose the ease acquired during the season. Between the start of the school year and the resumption of classes, falling temperatures and less common or even non-existent swimming, confidence in the water can be put to the test.
It is important to note that confidence in water also evolves depending on the child's development and age. Each stage of growth can influence the way he perceives and manages the fear of water.
But how can you help your child maintain confidence in the water after the holidays? Here are 5 tips based on the experience of Plouf. 🦩

 

Take back the swimming pool in dear

Returning to the swimming pool after summer must be done smoothly. Rushing your child will do no good. It is essential to adopt a progressive and reassuring approach, adapted to each child, to allow them to regain confidence in the water at their own pace. After a period of time without swimming, it is normal to need some time toadaptation.
🐳 You can start with fun sessions : watering games, ball, water courses… As with the “gain confidence” stage, the idea is not to perform. The objective is to rediscover the pleasure and fun of summer vacations combined with the well-being and serenity of the aquatic environment. The small pool is ideal for these first sessions, as it allows the child to reacquaint themselves with water in a reassuring environment before moving on to deeper pools.

It may also be interesting to partially “recreate” the atmosphere of your family vacation with a few details: take with you his favorite toy, his beach towel and his Floating swimsuit Plouf that he wore during the season. These simple elements can be enough to reassure your child and awaken positive memories related to water.

💡Tip Plouf : it is recommended to favor swimming pools with low attendance so that your child can find his bearings at his own pace, without additional pressure.

 

Encourage without pressure to promote progress

Each child progresses at their own pace. Progress is never linear and similar to others, and the same goes for swimming. A certain reluctance after the season therefore does not mean that there is a regression. This is only a sign that your child has need time to regain your confidence (and your desire). ⏳

If your child says to you: “I don't want to go to the swimming pool anymore after summer“, listen to him and don’t force him. Talk together about what he is feeling, try to put simple words to the emotions you perceive in him and reassure him. A child kindly encouraged regains confidence more quickly than a child who is put under pressure.

💡Tip Plouf : to maintain your child's progress, promote each step. Every success counts, even the smallest.

 

 

Continue learning to swim, even outside the pool

It is indeed possible to continue learning to swim at home! And yes, even without a swimming pool, you can help your child with fun little exercises: these activities are suitable for all ages, including babies, and make learning to swim easier. pleasant and progressive.

🌬️ Blow in the water (in the bath for example) to learn how to manage breathing
🧠 Perform leg kicks (on the bed for example) to strengthen muscle memory and work on limb coordination

Let your imagination run wild! Activities like this can nurture the connection between mind, body and water. It can even create beautiful moments of complicity and fun with your little one. This will allow him to stay connected to your feelings and will facilitate the “real” return to swimming in due time.

💡Tip Plouf : the Floating swimsuit Plouf can also be used during your recovery sessions.

 

Transform fear into confidence

At the start of the school year, fear of water is common and can even be present in children without any particular problems before. It is important to distinguish a temporary fear from a real one. water phobia : phobia manifests itself as an intense and lasting fear, often linked to traumatic experiences, and may require professional support. This apprehension can come from a lack of practice or a change of environment (cold swimming pool, unknown place or people, noise, etc.) which causes a loss of bearing.

For your child to maintain confidence in the water after the summer, you need to put them back in a positive situation:

🤿 Start with short immersions
💦 Prefer games and splashes
🦦 Remember that he already knows how to swim/float

The goal is to make the child comfortable in the water even if they have had negative experiences before. We must not forget that the risk of drowning always exists, so it is crucial to stay vigilant during each session.

At Plouf, we have often noticed that the fear disappears as soon as the child knows and feels that he can float. Thanks to exclusive technology FibreAir®, the Floating swimsuit Plouf offers natural balance in the water, without inflation or cuff. This support helps refocus the child on pleasure and fun rather than on fear and apprehension.

 

Maintain your connection with water all year round

As with everything, the main thing is regularity. To ensure your child's progress in swimming continues, it is important to maintain a regular connection with the water throughout the year.

Here are some ideas for activities to maintain confidence in the pool:

🏊🏽 Enroll your child in swimming lessons
🐠 Go to the municipal swimming pool on the weekend
🌊 Go to the sea, river or lake when the weather is nice and warm
🫧 Play water games in the bath or in the garden

The benefits of swimming are numerous: it promotes physical development, motor skills and self-confidence in children.

 

 

Support from professionals such as a swimming instructor is essential to guarantee safety and the learning of swimming techniques adapted to each child. Remember to reserve your place at swimming lessons, because the number of places is often limited, especially during holidays or after school. For the youngest, baby swimming lessons are an excellent option for introducing your baby or toddler to water gently, under the supervision of qualified professionals.

Be sure to choose activities adapted to your child’s age, whether it is a baby, a toddler or an older child, in order to respect their pace and needs. 🐥

Even outside of swimming, favor moments at the water’s edge to familiarize your child with this environment and reinforce their aquatic comfort.

At Plouf, we believe that trust is built and maintained through pleasure, gentleness, regularity, kindness and encouragement.

 

What to remember

Helping your child maintain confidence in the water after the summer is above all give him time, offer him a caring environment and he provide familiar landmarks.
With regular support, positive encouragement and Floating swimsuit adapted, returning to the swimming pool after summer becomes a natural and reassuring step.

Because learning to swim isn't just a skill. It's an adventure of confidence and autonomy that is built throughout the year! And at Plouf, we are proud to contribute to this alongside you. ☀️

 

Don't wait any longer, explore the collection Plouf on our website and benefit from a reduction on your first order with MONPANIER5 🎁 ! 

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