Many of you will be eagerly looking forward to the summer holidays and swimming with baby, perhaps going overseas or enjoying a good old Aussie summer by the beach or back yard pool. We get asked a lot about flotation devices and we are happy to share our opinion with you all. Before going on, we encourage you to do your own research and do note that no flotation device is ever a replacement for continuous, close attention!

Generally, we don’t approve of flotation devices though of course you see us using them in lessons to promote body position, a bit of confidence for some of the kids and of course they are fun!

Rubber Rings (for little ones)
Broadly speaking there are two types, with seat and without. Clearly a baby needs to have a seat but check that the leg holes aren’t too big or small or have any sharp bits sticking out that could be uncomfortable. Also make sure that the seat is securely joined at the seam. These rings are great because if you grow tired of practicing your skills you can plonk baby in there without them having to be continually held and still have some splashy fun. Just remember to stay within your depth in case baby decides to try and get out! The great thing with float rings is that they give baby the chance to have a bit of freedom without being constantly held. As your little duckling progresses through our program, bub will quickly grow out of a ring and thankfully as a Duck and Dive student you’ll never need the seat-less type!

Arm Bands
If baby is a bit older or perhaps becoming a toddler, there is the temptation to use arm bands. A BIG NO-NO! Arm bands, or for that matter body suits with built in floats make the kids float in a perpendicular position when we want them to be comfortable swimming prone. Instead try swim fins (available in our store) and try to restrict the amount of time they are being used so that baby is not becoming dependent on them. It’s important that they need to still find their own buoyancy and remain confident when they go under every now and again.

Noodles
Noodles are also great fun and most of you with intermediate babies and toddlers will have an idea of what to do.

So, whilst there is a place for floaties, do limit the time spent using them and always buy wisely and check any device is age appropriate and complies with Australian standards as there are a lot of sub standard products out there.

Don’t forget, we have been teaching you guys to be the “teachers of your babies” so have lots of fun and be sure to practice everything learned so far. Most of all – enjoy Ducking and Diving and we’ll see you next term!

Adam Walsh
Duck and Dive Baby Swim School