Surface with a Smile: Top swimming tips for parents swimming with their child at the seaside

Holidays beside the seaside are really gaining in popularity, with a further 35 per cent of parents planning to ditch overseas holidays for beaches closer to home.

With swimming being the main attraction during this time, Barbie DVD A Mermaid Tale 2 is teaming up with the fantastic Puddle Ducks, to help families enjoy the water safely.

Puddle Ducks Top Tips for children:
* Learning to swim should be fun and led by the child. Never force or criticise.

* Children should learn how to regain their feet. Too many drownings occur in shallow water where the children don’t know how to stand up. At Puddle Ducks we focus on learning to stand after a swim.

* Stroke development comes before stamina so look for quality in lessons.

* Never force a swimmer underwater – it takes a long time to build water confidence and seconds to shatter! Let them lead on how deep to go, have fun and be really positive about all achievements

* Remember to smile! If you are smiling, they will smile and that is the first step to a love of water for life.

 

Swimming on holiday

* Make sure your child wears a UV protective bodysuit when swimming in the sea as well as a high factor waterproof suncream. The water makes the UV radiation stronger

* If there is a strong current or undertow, don’t let your child go into the water no matter how strong a swimmer they are, even in shallow water the strength of the current can be enough to pull a child down.

* If you are going out on a boat, make sure you all wear life
jackets, regardless of whether or not everyone can swim. Don’t forget
sun cream and a hat too!

* Ensure your child understands the dangers of swimming in open water, such as depths being deceptive and cold water tiring you out quicker. Never let your child swim out of their depth in the sea.

* Try to discourage the use of large inflatable toys in the sea. Your child could quickly and easily be blown out to sea. Dinghies can
easily capsize in waves too.

* It is important to educate children about the dangers of water. Learning to swim is important but having a healthy respect for water can be a life saver!

* Children should know that they should never enter any type of water without active parental supervision.