Breath control is a big deal in swimming. Developing it takes both time and effort. Still, working on breath control doesn’t have to feel like actual work though. Children often learn best when they’re playing and having fun, which means that finding fun ways to help them practice their breath control can make quite the difference.
Blowing Bubbles
Who doesn’t love blowing bubbles? There’s just something about it that brings out the gleeful inner child in all of us. Encourage your child to blow bubbles while they have their face in the water. You could try timing them to see how long they can do it for. You might even make it into a contest to see if they can beat their previous record.
Retrieving Toys
Diving for toys at the bottom of the pool is another really fun activity that kids tend to love. It’s also a great way to practice breath control. As they do this, they’ll develop a greater awareness of their bodies. They’ll learn to feel when they need to come up for air and will slowly start to increase their capacity to hold their breath. Safety should always be a priority, so start by throwing the toys into the shallow end for the kids to retrieve. As they become stronger swimmers and develop their breath control further, you can move to tossing them into the deeper end for them to dive for. They’ll eventually get to the point where they can grab multiple toys before having to come up for air.
Being Active Outside of the Pool
Physical activity that builds respiratory endurance will also help children practice their breath control. Part of this is because being active allows children to develop greater awareness of their bodies. Sports, walking, biking, and just playing outside in general are great ways for children to be active. As they build their respiratory endurance, they’ll be in a better position to control their breathing while they swim.
The more fun your child has while practicing their breath control, the more positively they’ll feel about it. Fun activities like blowing bubbles, retrieving toys, and even just being active outside of the pool can help your child practice their breath control, improve their lung capacity, and build their respiratory endurance. Your child will be a stronger swimmer before you know it, and it will all be thanks to having fun.
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