Water safety for paddlers
Ready when: the child can swim; Four corners safety game (b1) done.
What you are learning
What to do after falling in: float on your back and breathe calmly, tread water, swim to safety and get out at the side. Every paddler must be able to do this; it is practised at a pool with a lifeguard.
Words on this card Self-rescue, Tread water, Star float, Sculling
- Self-rescue
- Getting yourself to safety after falling in.
- Tread water
- Staying upright in deep water by moving the legs and hands slowly.
- Star float
- Floating on the back with arms and legs spread wide.
- Sculling
- Small, quick movements of the hands or blade that press on the water.
Set up
A public pool with a lifeguard; light clothes for one session.
Weather: supervised water
Show it first for the one teaching
- At the edge, explain each step with your arms before your child gets in; if you swim, show it in the water.
- Sit on the edge and slide in gently: never jump.
- Lie back, arms and legs spread like a star, and breathe slowly: the body floats.
- Tread water: the legs pedal slowly and the hands sweep slowly side to side.
Your part while they practise
Stand at the edge and watch every second.
Step by step
- Slide in from sitting.
- Lie on the back and float for 60 seconds, breathing calmly, as if fallen into cold water.
- Tread water for 1 minute, the hands sculling.
- Swim 50 m.
- Get out at the side. Later, the same in light clothes.
How much: the whole set once 20 min a session once a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Star and tread
Float as a star for 30 seconds, tread water for 30 seconds, then swim to the wall. No breath-holding contests.
Who plays: the child, with you at the edge; or two children side by side with a lifeguard on duty.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Star float for 30 seconds
- Tread water for 30 seconds
- Swim to the wall
- Rest, then 3 rounds
- Fair play
- Shorter times for a younger child.
- Points
- 1 point for each part done without touching the side or the floor: up to 3 a round.
- Fouls
- No point for that part
- Grabbing the edge
- Standing on the floor
- Holding the breath under water
- Winning
- Beat your best score.
- 5 points for 1 star
- 7 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Shorter float and tread; 25 m.
100 m without stopping.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child grabs the edge at once
Lie back, breathe, float
Head back, tummy up, slow breaths. - they thrash while treading
Slow hands, slow legs
Slow movements use less energy.
Self-check
The float, the tread and the 50 m done in one go.
Stop and get a coach when
The child cannot float or tread for 1 minute; go back to swimming lessons.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains self-rescue, calm in water, swimming.
awiseathlete.com/sports/canoe-kayak/canoe-kayak-b5