Welcome to Sidney Cygnet's Level 2 course!
We trust that you and your baby are enjoying Level 1 with Dillon Duckling and are both keen to learn even more exciting new swims and skills in the pool. Now that you are more confident and happy swimming your baby underwater, it's time to let go...
Level 2 overview
Just as Sidney Cygnet's mummy is giving him more freedom in the water, so will you with your baby in Level 2. We will teach you to let go of your baby underwater for short (1-2 seconds) independent swims, giving your baby the freedom to kick and move freely while you watch with pride, under your teacher's supervision and guidance of course.
This will be done during the "Sideways Swim" and "Ready Splash" skills that you practiced in Level 1 and the submersions will be just as short, so it is nothing to worry about but very exciting swims to look forward to. Once you and your baby have had plenty of practice you can use this technique during the photo session we offer during your class, later in the term, to get some lovely underwater photos of your baby swimming solo, without Mummy or Daddy's hands showing in the photograph!
In Level 2 we will also introduce your baby to the life saving skill of turning underwater. This exercise is designed to gradually teach your baby to turn underwater and hold on to a point of safety if he or she were ever to accidentally fall into water. This will be done with your assistance and may take a few terms for your baby to master but with practice will become a favourite and valuable skill.
Another skill to look forward to in Level 2 is our "Single Handed Swim" where you will learn to swim your baby from you to your teacher and back again, letting go of your baby underwater for a second or so.
This is a lovely swim to take away with you and practice (with a second swim partner) when you swim outside of your Aquatots lessons making swimming your baby fun for the whole family.
We trust you will enjoy Sidney Cygnet's Level 2 and don't forget your opportunity to have those underwater photos taken of your Baby swimming solo around week 7.
Learn more about Aquatots animal story. Sidney the Cygnet
Level 2 skills
Here are some of Sidney's favourite new skills. We haven't listed them all because Sidney likes all the new skills and we would struggle to fit them all onto this page:
- Swim & hold on Stage 2 The new stage of this skill teaches your baby to hold on to a point of safety after a submersion and, in combination with some of our other skills, builds into a lifesaving exercise. EYFS Goal → Communication and Language: Understanding - Mathematics: Numbers.
- Single handed swim Stage 2 This is the swim mentioned above where you swim your baby to your Teacher and back again making for a lovely family swim once mastered. EYFS Goal → Physical Development: Self Care/movement.
- Sideways swim Stage 2 This is one of the 'letting go' swims mentioned above which will allow your baby to have a short independent submersion. EYFS Goal → Physical Development: Self Care/movement - Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness.
- Ready turn Stage 1 This is your baby's first turning skill underwater introducing the life saving concept mentioned in the paragraph above and is further complimented by another surface turning skill called 'Walk & Turn'. EYFS Goal → Physical Development: Self Care/movement.
- Piggyback Stage 2 In this stage of piggyback we will teach you how to put your baby on and off of your back independently and safely allowing you to practice this fun and lifesaving skill outside of your Aquatots lessons. EYFS Goal → Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Making Relationships.
These skills are just some of the ways that the Aquatots Programme supports the Early Years Foundation Stage. As you can see from some of the skills above, this will be your child's first journey acquiring skills that will prepare your little one for being a super learner as well swimmer. By providing a suportive, positive and well balanced social environment, your child will be introducted to all elements of the EYFS. This includes:
- gaining a grasp for language and understanding cues and instructions,
- basic counting,
- moving through space with the feel and support of water to build physical skills,
- self- awareness,
- building self esteem and becoming a social being.
Splash AboutSplash About Hooded Towel
Now that you and your baby are swimming regularly, you might like to consider a cosy hooded towel for your little one or even a micro fibre towel for yourself to use after you both swim. These and many other products designed to compliment your Aquatots swimming lessons are available in our web shop.
SHOP NOWWhen you and your baby have completed most of Sidney Cygnet's Level 2 lessons, don't forget to book into Level 3 where Sandy Swan is waiting with loads of new and exciting swims and skills.
Probably the most exciting new swim for your baby is our very popular "Volunteer Swim" where your little one will choose to swim from the Teacher to you without the use of key words or signals. This is a lovely way to allow your baby to take control in the pool (if they haven't done so already), loads of fun and has a lifesaving element too. The "Volunteer Swim" ticks all the boxes for everyone.
The introduction of "Swim, Breathe, Swim" in Level 3 is the skill that gets the Parents attention. This set of swims is designed to introduce the concept of coming up to breathe between submersions in a gentle and easy manner. There are a number of stages of this skill introduced in subsequent levels and will eventually lead to the most important of all lifesaving skills, the ability to swim 5 meters independently.
We will also practice some "Shallow swims" to encourage the babies to swim in a more natural and realistic swimming position and to allow your baby to eventually lift his/her head out of the water for a breath more easily.
A new turning swim called "Turn to Mummy (or Daddy)" will help your baby to progress with the lifesaving skill of turning underwater. We use a warm up game of peek-a-boo to engage your baby and make this swim as much fun as possible while your baby keeps learning.
Sandy can't wait to see you both in Level 3 to continue your fun and educational Aquatots journey.
