Hi there, my name is Cracker the Crocodile. My friends tell me that you have worked really hard throughout all your baby levels and are ready and excited to start your Toddler skills.
No more baby stuff for you now you are all grown up and over 2 years of age! As a Toddler I am told you need keeping in line now and again so that's what I am here for! After all nobody messes with a crocodile!! Don't worry though it's not all hard work, us crocodiles know how to have fun too!!
Let me tell you a little bit more …
Your toddler is now starting to become more physically able to do more complicated swims and skills with more co-ordination (that's if they want to, of course!).
In this Level, we introduce several new variations of Swim, Breathe, Swim and encourage your toddler to work towards lifting up their head out of the water to breathe, by themselves. We also try to build confidence by encouraging them to hold onto you rather than you holding them and letting go in-between their swims.
For the more adventurous parents, we would encourage you to swim underwater together with your toddler participating in various skills, i.e. diving for toys under together. If you do not like to go under the water of course you do not have to but it is usually great fun!
My name is Cracker and I am a Saltwater Crocodile. Did you know we are the largest reptiles on the planet! Reptiles are cold blooded animals that have scales instead of hair or feathers. There are over 6000 species of Reptile on the planet and that includes Crocs, Alligators, Snakes and Lizards.
Did you know my closest relatives are Dinosaurs and Birds? My ancestors were around even before Dinosaurs too!! Do you think I look a bit like a dinosaur?
Crocodiles live in many different places across the world, in the streams, lakes, wetlands and rivers of Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. There are many different types of Crocs and some are very big like me, and as I am a Saltwater Crocodile I hope to grow up to be as long as my Daddy who is 7 metres!!
I came from an Egg that mummy laid in a nest with lots of other eggs. When I was ready to hatch I made funny chirping noises from inside my egg and then mummy helped dig me out. Then she gently carried me to the water in her mouth so I could be safe. A bit like my friend Toby the Turtle as we are both reptiles although he had to run to the water himself. I will stay with my Mummy until I am about 2 years old and Crocodiles can live up to 70 years old too.
I expect you have all your baby teeth by now but I bet you never have as many teeth as me, I have 66!! I don't chew with them though, I just use them to grab my dinner like you use your hands and cutlery but then I swallow my food all in one. Lucky I have such a big mouth! I am a carnivore as I eat meat such as birds, frogs, snakes, turtles, insects and snails. I would invite you to dinner but Mum tells me you would probably not enjoy it.
We are great swimmers and when we need to, we can swim nearly three times as fast as the speediest humans but mostly we like to cruise around the water nice and slow. We can stay submerged for up to an hour too!! We use our large tail to propel us through the water and our legs to help us steer. We do spend most of our time in the water but we do come ashore when we need to warm up in the sun and to nest.
I have a very streamlined body and that helps me move swiftly through the water. This term, have a go at being streamlined yourself with straight arms and legs and see just how far you can move through the water. You will love it!! We call it Rockets in class but I like to call it Crocodiles!! You may have noticed that my ears, eyes and nose are all on top of my head which helps me stay low in the water. You can have a go at goggles instead which will help you stay nice and low and see where you are going.