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The average age of your class will determine your lesson plans and goals; very young children will not respond to certain challenges that older children may thrive with. For instance, children under a year old should simply become acquainted with playing in water rather than being forced to swim. Often, teachers get bored teaching fundamental skills and jump to something that interests them rather than that properly challenges the students. Be patient and mindful of your students' needs. You may consider shadowing a more experienced swim teacher in order to observe how they react to different demographics of children. Contact a community gym, pool, or fitness center to see if this is an option. Children will not be competent swimmers until the age of about six or seven, but skill-building in a classroom environment can begin before that age. Children between four and six years old can benefit from coordination and stabilization exercises in the water. These exercises will help them get used to the basics of moving in the water. Water safety should also be a prioritized lesson at this age. Teach children not to run by water, to be careful on slippery surfaces, and follow a protocol when entering and exiting a pool. Be patient. Children at this age are not learning disciplined form; they are learning how to interact with the water. Interest levels and prowess will change day-to-day at this age. An ability to independently float in the water is a fundamental skill for swimming in general. Independent floating can be taught as an assisted wall float: with the student's back in the water, have them place their heels on the edge of the pool, anchoring them. Then, have the student extend their legs, flattening their body on the surface of the water and spreading their weight out to the length of their body. Once their legs are extended and their body is floating on the water, have them breathe normally and sustain the float for as long as possible. It is best for them to not use their hands to assist their float. Once they master the assisted wall float, they should move on to try floating without any assistance. This form of floating can help students get used to having their head and stomach underwater. Much like the assisted wall float, this exercise requires students to put their feet on the pool edge and extend their legs; this time, though, they will be floating on their stomach rather than on their back. Keeping hips and shoulders on the surface of the water, students must take a deep breath and put their face under the water. Students may use hands for the stomach float, but only to help bring the head up for another breath. Assisted wall floats and stomach floating can be alternated as part of a drill or a game. Challenge students to be the one who can sustain a float the longest. Students who know how to push off a wall to float will understand how to use momentum to move in water. While their feet are on the wall of the pool, have the student take a breath and push off the wall. This will propel them through the water. Have the student relax and feel their head, legs, and arms sink in the water as they lose momentum and finally stop. This will help them become accustomed to sinking in the water and correcting this with a float. You don't necessarily have to couple this with a lesson in strokes, but a wall push-off is a good exercise to pair with continued movement through the water. You may want to conduct this exercise in the short end of the pool, so that inexperienced swimmers can stand up after they lose momentum. Water noodles and floating boards are good tools to pair with this exercise, so inexperienced swimmers can experiment with using their legs and arms to continue movement through the water. Often, the point of instructing young children is to instill discipline, self-awareness, self-esteem, and curiosity rather than build great technique. Empathize with your students and understand the challenges they are facing in trying something strange and new. Making their first experience with swimming a friendly, safe, and responsible one can lead to a lifelong interest in learning. A safe environment can be established through instructional generosity. Sandwich "corrections" with compliments, reward those who try new things, and keep in mind each child's fears or weaknesses. At the same time, hold students responsible for their conduct, discipline, and effort. Make sure lesson plans are followed, even if altered.
Teach age-appropriate skills. Encourage the development of coordination. Teach independent floating. Teach stomach floating. Teach wall push-offs. Encourage the development of discipline.