What this water confidence skill is
Going all the way under means more than dipping the head. Your child crouches or sinks down until the water covers them completely, then pushes back up and stands. It happens in water where they can stand, and each go is short.
It comes after putting the head under. Next comes finding the surface after going under, and picking up sunken toys from the pool floor.
See it in action
Swimming Lesson: How to Swim Underwater
A quick tip from an AquaMobile instructor on keeping water out of the nose when going all the way under.
From the AquaMobile YouTube channel
Why it matters
Knowing the way back up.
Children who have practised coming up from under the water feel far more secure in the pool.
Feeling the water hold them.
Your child notices how the water pushes them back up, which makes floating easier to learn.
A base for safety skills.
Coming up calmly after going under is part of what later water safety skills build on.
Who it is for
Babies, toddlers and children all work on this. For babies and toddlers, going under with support means held in the instructor's hands the whole time. On their own means a brief moment with the instructor's hands right beside them. Older children usually learn it as a game, like a tea party on the pool floor. If you are learning as an adult, you may find you float back up at first. That surprises many adults, and it is easy to work with.
When they are ready
The goal
Your child sinks down until they are completely under, then comes back up and stands. First with the instructor holding them, then on their own.
Why it matters
It teaches your child that going under and coming back up is something they can manage. That calm feeling carries into every later skill.
What happens in lessons
Hands held the whole way.
Your child goes under holding both of the instructor's hands, and comes back up with their help.
Breathing out on the way down.
Your child hums or blows bubbles as they sink, which lets them go down more easily.
Letting go, bit by bit.
Your instructor's hands move from holding your child to resting just beside them, ready if needed.
Down and up on their own.
Your child goes under, pushes off the floor and stands up by themselves, then gets a big cheer.
How you can help between lessons
- In the pool, only with an adult in the water within arm's reach, play a crouch and pop up game where your child can stand. A few goes are plenty.
Common questions
- Why does my child keep bobbing back up?
- The water pushes up on the body, and a chest full of air floats well. Breathing out gently on the way down lets some air go, so sinking gets easier. It is a normal part of learning.
- How deep is the water for this?
- Always water where your child can stand comfortably. For small children that might be a wide step, or the shallow end in the instructor's arms. Going under is not practised in deep water at this stage.
- Can my child practise this in our pool between lessons?
- Only with an adult in the water within arm's reach, in water where your child can stand. Keep dips short and skip any game about staying under. Save anything new for lessons.
- I am an adult and I cannot seem to sink. Is something wrong?
- Not at all. Plenty of adults float easily, especially with a full breath. Breathing out slowly as you bend your knees usually solves it.
