What this swimming skill is
Up to now, your child has practised lying level, rolling the shoulders and moving the arms on their own. Here everything happens together: the legs keep kicking, the arms take turns going over, and your child travels in a straight line. It usually starts with short swims and grows from there.
It builds on the arm stroke and on the flutter kick, the quick up and down kick with long legs. Once the stroke holds together, the next step is learning to swim straight and find the wall safely without looking.
See it in action
Swimming Lessons for Kids: Back Gliding, Kicking and Back Stroke Arms
A lesson for young children that builds backstroke in order: gliding on the back, kicking, then adding the arms.
From the AquaMobile YouTube channel
Why it matters
Real swimming on the back.
Your child can travel across the pool on their back, breathing freely the whole way.
A calm stroke to fall back on.
Many swimmers find backstroke relaxing, and it gives your child a comfortable way to keep going when they feel tired.
Less tiring.
When arms and legs work together, each helps the other, and swimming takes much less effort.
A step toward longer swims.
