Learn to swim resources
| Back to Autism Information >> Next Topic | ||
|
Swimming lessons, especially lessons for kids with special needs, are not really available to us here in Norway. We're lucky enough to have a subscription to an hour of pool time at the nursing home, together with another family. I'll be doing do-it-yourself swimming lessons, and thought I'd share the resources I've found (more to add soon, I'm sure). As usual, I'll remind you that if a link is broken, try to remove any blank spaces from the address. If it still doesn't work, let me know. Videos: http://www.expertvillage.com/interviews/kid-swimming-howto-v ideos.htm - list of free online videos in a series by Sharks and Minnows Swimming School. Lots of tips on how to teach swimming, also listed separately below. http://video.about.com/familyfitness/Help-kids-Get-Over-Wate r-Fear.htm - video on helping your child get over a fear of water. Basic breathing skills videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRXoWOixpTY - "Going Underwater", "washing face", blowing bubbles, playing "elevator" while holding onto the side of the pool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLhsA9_xqwc - "Going Underwater". The basics of teaching them to follow your cue (1-2-3) and hold their breath while you put water on their face or pull them in the water in a U-shaped dunk. Basic safety skills videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD7JQLlPKT0 - Breathing technique "Pop-up breathing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BwwrgKIHKI - Alternate breathing technique "Rollover breathing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l48j3059qA - "Returning to the wall", practice "falling in" then swimming to the side and climbing out. Basic swimming skills videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A81CdCrOa_U - "How to hold", using the shark hold, and double-leg shark hold. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds7nLmhQSSg - "Proper body position", gliding to the steps with you, then independently in the "super man glide". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ_mJIlpR-w - "Swimming to the steps", learning to kick, scooping with the arms, then swimming to the steps. Strokes videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvAd3s5869Y - treading water http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82IQBVmRwjI - the front crawl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGbCgVQ3YRI - the back stroke Articles: http://www.sportales.com/Swimming/Childrens-Swimming-Tips.61 983 - tips on teaching to float. http://swimmingscience.blogspot.com/2006/01/tips-for-beginne rs-of-all-ages-kids.html - tips for beginners, part 1. http://swimmingscience.blogspot.com/2006/01/tips-for-beginne rs-of-all-ages-kids_22.html - tips for beginners, part 2. http://www.neilzone.me.uk/checksheets.html#more - National Plan For Teaching Swimming Checklists, with skill and stroke development goals for 12 levels. http://www.autismhelp.info/htm/community/sporting/aquatics.h tm#Management - Teaching techniques and strategies for kids with autism. http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Websi te/English/Coach/Coaching_Guides/Aquatics/Teaching+Aquatics+ Skills/default.htm - "Teaching Aquatic Skills" from the Special Olympics. http://www.swimamerica.org/stationcards.asp - activity cards from Swim America. http://downsyndromelife.blogspot.com/2005/08/two-wonderful-s tories.html - autism/swimming story from "chicken soup for the soul: special needs". Scroll down to "swimming with John". Written instructions from e-how: http://www.ehow.com/how_14067_kids-comfortable-with.html - teaching the child to feel comfortable in the water. http://www.ehow.com/how_14068_teach-child-float.html - teaching to float http://www.ehow.com/how_14069_teach-child-breathe.html - teach to breathe http://www.ehow.com/how_14070_teach-child-back.html - teach back float http://www.ehow.com/how_14071_teach-child-glide.html - teach to glide http://www.ehow.com/how_14072_teach-child-kick.html - teach to kick http://www.ehow.com/how_14075_teach-child-backstroke.html - back stroke http://www.ehow.com/how_14073_teach-child-rhythmic.html - teach rhythmic breathing http://www.ehow.com/how_14074_teach-child-crawl.html - teach the crawl http://www.ehow.com/how_14077_teach-child-tread.html - teach to tread water Sample social stories: http://www.cdlsusa.com/publications/reachingout/archive/Mana gement_of_Anxiety_and_Aggression.pdf - swimming (Figure 2) http://leechbabe.posterous.com/swimming-social-story-staying - staying with the group at swimming class. http://www.unc.edu/depts/recreate/crds/autism/four.html - swimming. Swimming Pool Social Story 5 pages, 544 KB, PDF http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/A-Field-Trip-To-Spla sh-Down.html - field trip to a water park. Water safety - fun stuff for kids: http://www.stewleonards.com/water_safety/stewietheduckswims. cfm - video clip with simple song covering 3 water safety rules. You can also buy the full video or books, created by parents who lost their child to drowning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogT7mlijuB4 - Water safety video from "Danger Rangers" http://www.bobber.info/main.html - 3 cartoons from "Bobber the Water Safety Dog", with entertaining lessons about life jackets. Coloring pages too. http://www.royallifesaving.com.au/www/html/444-games-zone.as p?intSiteID=1 - The best thing about this website was 3 interactive storybooks about water safety. http://www.ohsu.edu/medialab/safety/chpip/fungame/Water_Safe ty.swf - spot the safety errors at the pool, river and ocean, with surfer-dude audio. Water safety - info for grown-ups: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=5001282&page=1 - This article is a news story about a boy with autism who died while taking a nap, after he had gotten water in his lungs while swimming earlier that day. This is a type of "dry drowning" and the article explains the warning signs. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/products/best-pool-alar m-gate - product test/review of pool alarms Special gear http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/swimgea r.htm- collection of links related to special needs swim gearAny more resources to add? Anyways, awsome that everyone is already beginning to make plans for the summer, the sooner ya sign up for stuff the better definatly. I think some of those vids will help me out, I am very physically fit but ill admit not as strong a swimmer as I used to think I was. I can do the front stroke very well and for canoeing during summer camp had to tred water for 5 mins, very easy (if ya do it right). I however always had a very difficult time being taught and actually performing such swimming strokes such as the back stroke and breathing techniques. It was very hard to be taught these things and I never could do it right, it sounds like a bizzar theory but I think because I am so tall and skinny (6'1" 160lbs) that I am probably a bit denser then the average person who has more body fat and maby a little more muscle tissue, so maby I sink a little more, but for whatever reason(s) I have such a hard time I like these vids alot and the lady says a few things that I dont recall the instructor at the YMCA explaining to me. When the lake warms up this summer I may get out and practice a little more. Thank you Norway Mom, you are a lifesaver and I mean that literally because someday its possible someone on this board can be saved or even save someone else because of the vids you post. Knowing how to swim and even rescue is vital info for people who live in many different areas of the world. Woodsman -- I think it's logical that your being so thin limits your buoyancy. My youngest son is skin and bones, too, and I see he really struggles to stay afloat even though he's kicking and paddling like crazy. Usually I let him wear his water wings. I was googling and someone who does underwater diving said sje didn't need weights to stay underwater when she was thin, but needs them now.
I watched a Norwegian DVD about teaching young kids to swim and got some good tips. Tip number one, continuity: use mostly the same games and techniques each session. Here are some ideas on how to make swimming sessions playful and fun: - While floating on their backs, have the kids wave their arms like they're waving to the fish (don't wave to wildly or you'll scare the fish!). This helps the child go from floating to swimming on their backs. - Have the kids do a superman glide with one arm forward, then switch to the other arm mid-glide (pretend the first arm "got tired"). This helps the kids learn a beginning crawl stroke. Props: I thought I'd also add an update about how it's going for us. Since I started this thread, I've only had one session with my oldest and one with my youngest, but we made progress anyways. My oldest son finally got the courage to dunk his head under water. I gave him the cue 1 (words and gesture to cue closing eyes), 2 (words and gesture to cue plug your nose) and 3 (words and gesture to cue take a breath and hold it). Then he dunked his head under. While he was under, I removed one of two floating Spiderman toys. When he came up, he had to tell me which one was missing. In that session, he also learned a beginning crawl stroke with the pick an apple and put it in your pocket metaphor for the arm movement. My youngest son wanted to have fun and resented my attempts at teaching him to swim, but he mastered the back float position of chest up and head back. We also worked on the beginning crawl stroke, but used the scoop ice cream metaphor with him. His challenge is that he's so short that the water is over his head even at the shallow end of the pool, and he's so skinny that he doesn't float well.
We got a lot of swimming practice done during our vacation in America. My oldest mastered going down a water slide alone without freaking out about water in his face/ears, and my youngest mastered doing a cannonball jump. I was surprised by how much he could splash, skinny as he is. Anyhow, today I was sorting through some papers and found some notes on fun water activities, ideas from another Norwegian swim video. - when kids put their head in the water and blow bubbles, it sounds like water boiling. In Norway they joke that the kids are "boiling potatoes", but you could just as easily say you're boiling noodles, and then pretend to eat the yummy swim-noodles afterwards. - Use a mirror underwater to encourage kids to open their eyes underwater. - To maintain the proper hand position when first learning to dive, have them raise their arms above their head, do "thumbs up" with one hand, then hold the thumb with the other hand. - Hold a mat at water level and have the child lean forward and put their head down on the mat, doing a somersault. (This one is lots of fun, and I have my youngest son do it all the time). - Have everybody stand in a circle. Pick one child to be the "fountain" and float and kick so it splashes high in the middle of the circle. The child who is the fountain can either float while holding hands in the circle, or float by being supported more actively. Happy swimming! Today I watched yet another Norwegian swim video, with the English title "Tiny - but a great lifesaver." This video focused on teaching kids how to do basic rescue. The oldest kids in the group were only 5! They did a fantastic job, and I can just imagine how proud the kids must feel when they "rescue" their mom or dad. Using an extended arm: The child lies on his stomach and extends a swim noodle to the person (or people) in the water and pulls him in. The swim noodle works as an "extended arm". The child should know that in real life, we won't necessarily have a swim noodle, but can use a a paddle or stick or whatever is available as an extended arm. An advanced version is to jump in the water to rescue, if you can't reach the person. Bring the extended arm. This prevents a panicky person from dragging you under. Using a life-line or buoy: If you have the equipment, kids can practice this. Make sure the line is anchored (for example to the child's foot) before it's thrown. An unconscious person: Kids can also practice flipping an "unconscious" person onto his back and towing him in. Practicing the back float: Flip, float, breath, and cry for help! Teaching the child to roll over onto his back and float is an important self-rescue technique. If a child isn't comfortable floating on his back, practice with a life jacket first. You can also encourage proper position by standing behind the child and getting him to look back at your face. Here's a youtube video about flip and float: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ15ljW15IE&feature=relat ed Practicing falling in the water: When accidents happen, the child won't necessarily be falling into the water feet first. Help the child get familiar with how it feels to fall in backwards, so he doesn't panic if it actually happens. Have him sit or kneel on the edge of the pool and lean backwards, with you waiting to catch him. I'm looking forward to trying these activities in two weeks, when we go swimming again. Wow thanks for posting these. I'm sure these will be very helpful. When Iwas young, I had big issues with my swimming lessons because I was very afraid of the diving board and any heights etc. I'm sure these will be very helpful. Too bad, we didn't have these 25 years ago. lol!I started a swimming program about 5 years ago with "report cards" specially designed for autism/special needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message, and as soon as I get out the other computer (its still on the old ones hard drive, sorry) out and up and running again I can post them for you on here, that way they have a "reward" to work for, and you can modify the card to fit the needs of you pool.I finally got the "report cards" off my old computer. I'm going to make a separate post for each level, since I'm not sure how formating is going to work. If anyone would like to see them in the correct format please pm me. Autism Aquatic Therapy: Pre-Beginner Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ _________ Instructor(s): ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ __ Description & nbsp; Needs Work* & nbsp; Good* & nbsp; & nbsp;Excellent* 1. Enter & Exit water, with little assistance &n bsp; 2. Adjustment & Confidence in water & nbsp; 3. Blow bubbles-3 sec. &n bsp; 4. Obtain proper body Position on Front with assistance &n bsp; 5. Obtain proper body Position on Back with assistance &n bsp; 6. Proper holding of Kickboard or noodle 7. Jump in with assistance &n bsp; 8. Front Float with floatation 3 sec. &n bsp; 9. Back Float with floatation 3 sec. &n bsp; 10. Front Glide with assistance &n bsp; 11. Back Glide with assistance &n bsp; 12. Proper holding of Kickboard or noodle 13. Flutter Kick 5 ft. on Front with assistance &n bsp; 14. Flutter Kick 5 ft on Back with assistance &n bsp; 15. Arm Paddle motion with assistance &n bsp; 16. Travel 5 ft. on Front with floatation & assistance &n bsp; 17. Travel 5 ft. on Back with floatation & assistance &n bsp; 18. Retrieve object-Very shallow water-2 times & nbsp; 19. Know 2 pool rules & nbsp; 20. Wear PFD & enter water & nbsp; 21. Recognize Lifeguard &nb sp; Comments:___________________________________________________ __________ _________________________ ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ _______________________ Next class to enroll in Level: Pre-Beginner Beginner &nbs p; Next session: Summer Fall &n bsp; Winter Spring *Needs work: 0-1 Successful Attempt, Good: 2-4 Successful Attempts, Excellent: 5 Successful Attempts, or 3 with 2 different teachers. All attempts are based on trials of 5. Autism Aquatic Therapy: Beginner Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ _________ Instructor(s): ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ __ Description & nbsp; Needs Work* & nbsp; Good* & nbsp; & nbsp;Excellent* 1. Climb in & out of pool without assistance &n bsp; 2. Blow bubbles with face in water-5 sec. &n bsp; 3. Submerge head &n bsp; 4. 5 Bobs holding onto wall &n bsp; 5. Rhythmic breathing on wall-3 of 5 ; 6. Jump into Shallow water independently ; 7. Jump into deep water with assistance &n bsp; 8. Front Float- 5 sec. &n bsp; 9. Back Float – 5 sec. &n bsp; 10. Front Glide & nbsp; 11. Back Glide & nbsp; 12. Flutter Kick on Front 5 yards independently ; 13. Flutter Kick on Back 5 yards independently ; 14. Front Crawl 5 yards. 15. Back Crawl 5 yards. 16. Elementary Backstroke Arms with Flutter kick 5 yards. 17. Retrieve object-face wet or bubbles 2 times & nbsp; 18. Tread water- 5 sec. &n bsp; 19. Know who to ask for help &n bsp; 20. Know when to yell for help &n bsp; 21. Know pool rules & nbsp; 22. Know class rules & nbsp; 23. Jump in, Paddle width Front, kick width Back in PFD &nb sp; Comments:___________________________________________________ __________ _________________________ ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ _______________________ Next class to enroll in Level: Beginner &nbs p; Advanced Beginner Next session: Summer Fall &n bsp; Winter Spring *Needs work: 0-1 Successful Attempt, Good: 2-4 Successful Attempts, Excellent: 5 Successful Attempts, or 3 with 2 different teachers. All attempts are based on trials of 5. Autism Aquatic Therapy: Advanced Beginner Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ _________ Instructor(s): ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ __ Description & nbsp; Needs Work* & nbsp; Good* & nbsp; & nbsp;Excellent* 1. 10 Bobs &n bsp; 2. 2 Deep water Bobs. & nbsp; 3. Whip Kick on Back Width & nbsp; 4. Whip Kick on Front Width & nbsp; 5. Rhythmic breathing with kick width & nbsp; 6. Jump into Deep water independently ; 7. Jump from a height with assistance &n bsp; 8. Front Float- 10 sec. &n bsp; 9. Back Float – 10 sec. &n bsp; 10. Front Glide with kick 2 body lengths ; 11. Back Glide with kick 2 body widths 12. Flutter Kick on Front Width & nbsp; 13. Flutter Kick on Back Width & nbsp; 14. Front Crawl Width & nbsp; 15. Back Crawl Width & nbsp; 16. Elementary Backstroke Arms with whip kick 5 yards. 17. Introduction to Breaststroke Arms &n bsp; 18. Submerge head & open eyes to retrieve object 19. Tread water-15 sec. &n bsp; 20. Perform a Throwing assist 21. Know an emergency number 22. Know 2 ways to protect self from sun &nb sp; 23. Jump into deep water, Paddle length on Front, Paddle length on Back in PFD &nb sp; Comments:___________________________________________________ __________ _________________________ ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ _______________________ Next class to enroll in Level: Advanced Beginner &nbs p; Intermediate Next session: Summer Fall &n bsp; Winter Spring *Needs work: 0-1 Successful Attempt, Good: 2-4 Successful Attempts, Excellent: 5 Successful Attempts, or 3 with 2 different teachers. All attempts are based on trials of 5. Autism Aquatic Therapy: Intermediate Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ _________ Instructor(s): ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ __ Description & nbsp; Needs Work* & nbsp; Good* & nbsp; & nbsp;Excellent* 1. 10 Deep water Bobs &n bsp; 2. Whip Kick on Back Length 3. Whip Kick on Front Length 4. Jump in from a height independently ; 5. Introduction to Diving 6. Breaststroke 5 yards & nbsp; 7. Dolphin Kick 5 yards & nbsp; 8. Front Glide with kick width & nbsp; 9. Back Glide with kick width & nbsp; 10. Flutter Kick on Front Length with rhythmic breathing &nb sp; 11. Flutter Kick on Back Length 12. Front Crawl Length with Rhythmic Breathing to side &n bsp; 13. Back Crawl Length 14. Elementary Backstroke Width & nbsp; 15. Introduction to Butterfly Arms &n bsp; 16. Retrieve submerged object in chest deep water & nbsp; 17. Tread water-30 sec. &n bsp; 18. Recognize a distressed swimmer ; 19. Perform a Reaching Assist 20. Perform a Throwing Assist 21. Ride in a boat wearing PFD &nb sp; Comments:___________________________________________________ __________ _________________________ ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ _______________________ Next class to enroll in Level: Intermediate Advanced Next session: Summer Fall &n bsp; Winter Spring *Needs work: 0-1 Successful Attempt, Good: 2-4 Successful Attempts, Excellent: 5 Successful Attempts, or 3 with 2 different teachers. All attempts are based on trials of 5. Autism Aquatic Therapy: Advanced Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________________ _________ Instructor(s): ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ __ Description & nbsp; Needs Work* & nbsp; Good* & nbsp; & nbsp;Excellent* 1. Kick on Front using 2 different kicks 200 yards & nbsp; 2. Kick on Back using 2 different kicks 200 yards & nbsp; 3. Back Crawl- 2 Lengths with flip turn &n bsp; 4. Front Crawl - 2 Lengths with flip turn &n bsp; 5. Elementary Backstroke 2 Lengths with open turn &n bsp; 6. Breaststroke Length 7. Butterfly Length 8. Swim 200 yards or 5 continuous minutes ; 9. 80 yard IM with turns & nbsp; 10. Dive from Deck &n bsp; 11. Dive from a height 12. Open Turns & nbsp; 13. Flip Turns & nbsp; 14. Retrieve submerged object in chest deep water & nbsp; 15. Tread water-30 sec. &n bsp; 16. Retrieve submerged object in Deep water & nbsp; 17. Tread Water-2 min. &n bsp; 18. Understand basic water safety for self & others 19. Know what to do if a boat flips & nbsp; Comments:___________________________________________________ __________ _________________________ ___ ____________________________________________________________ _________ _______________________ Next class to enroll in Level: Advanced Swim Team Other: __________________ Next session: Summer Fall &n bsp; Winter Spring *Needs work: 0-1 Successful Attempt, Good: 2-4 Successful Attempts, Excellent: 5 Successful Attempts, or 3 with 2 different teachers. All attempts are based on trials of 5. Today I added this video on getting over the fear of water to my list: http://video.about.com/familyfitness/Help-kids-Get-Over-Wate r-Fear.htm As an update, my eldest son is now swimming underwater to pick up diving sticks. He does this easily in 3 feet of water, and does this successfully but with effort in 4 feet of water. He needs both goggles and nose plugs, but this is huge progress for a kid who couldn't stand to get his face near water as a 7 year old (he preferred swimming with a stack of two swim rings to increase the distance between his face and the water). An update on our progress: This week my eldest son did three underwater somersaults in one breath. We also worked on kicking, in a kind of tug-of-war set-up. We both held onto an air mattress, facing each other, and kicked and kicked trying to push the other to the side of the pool. The first time I won easily. Then I explained to him that the energy from his kicking was going towards pushing the water up in the air in the form of splashing instead of going towards propelling him forwards. I told him not to bend his legs so much, and this time the message sunk in and he beat me in the next round. |
||
|
Copyright Autism-PDD.net
|