What this swim fitness skill is
Counting strokes is simple: your child counts each arm stroke from one wall to the other. As their stroke gets smoother, it usually takes fewer strokes to cross the pool. When they tire, the number creeps up.
Counting lengths is the other half: knowing how far they have swum without losing track. It comes once your child can swim a length or more without stopping. Next, teens and adults learn to use a clock to time their swims.
Why it matters
Progress in a number.
A falling stroke count is a simple sign that your child's swimming is getting smoother.
Paying attention.
Counting helps your child notice how their body feels as they swim.
Fun for kids.
Many children love counting and treat it like a game.
Growing independence.
Keeping track of lengths is a first step toward planning their own swims.
Who it is for
Children, teens and adults who can swim a length without stopping. Children often love counting and turn it into a game. Pools differ in size, so each swimmer's count is their own, and it is only compared with their own earlier counts. If you are learning as an adult, counting is a simple way to see your own progress.
Length by length
The goal
Your child swims a length and tells you how many strokes it took. Over several lengths, they keep track of how far they have gone and how each one felt.
