Parent Tot Repeatable Plans
These lesson plans are intended to be used repeatedly; over and over.
There are two types, the standard lesson for Parent Tot for infants and beginners, and the Adv, or advanced, Parent Tot for people that have been through your program before.
Like the other lesson plans, read rows from left to right.
The activities are related in skill, and the challenge or song is designed to be a refresher and recharger for the swimmers and the parents.
Each row is a complete unit, and if you are crunched for time, ensure that you stop after a song.
Activities
Parent tot Activities are a little different than the Level swim lesson plans.
!! Parents should do each activity, or chain of activities (1&2, 3&4) over and over for a set time limit; often 3-5 minutes.
They’re different because the activities are generally intended for the parents and their child to do together without anyone else. The parent/child should be following the activities on their own, instead of waiting for their turn like a swimmer with an instructor would.
Everyone can do it all at the same time on their own.
Each parent/child can also do the activities at their own pace! So that if a swimmer is a true beginner, they should do the most basic version of the activity. If the child is more advanced, the instructor should give the parent an adaptation or an alteration to the activity to make it more difficult/advanced/appropriate to the swimmer’s skill.
Beginner instructions for activities 1-2:
Do the activities as instructed. They are designed for true beginners. Both activities are about getting in the water and getting out of the water comfortably.
Each activity should be done REPEATEDLY for about 3-5 minutes.
Advanced instructions for activities 1-2:
Activity #1: Have the child put more of their legs and feet in the water, or have them sit on a stair step with more of their hips/butt in the water. Focus more on quality kicks that move water instead of splashing the surface.
Activity #2: Ask if the swimmer will go underwater as stated, but also encourage the swimmer to put their chin or lips in the water when they jump in with support. Be a bit more aggressive in pushing, or reaching, for the swimmer to go under, but remain supportive if they’re not ready to submerge.
- Add a front float to the jump.
- Have the child climb out of the water with minimal support.
- Getting out of the water is a learned skill. Help.
Did you see how the activities changed as a result of the swimmer’s ability?
Songs
The QR code at the top right is a playlist of songs on Youtube.com that you can show as videos for each row or song, or play on a bluetooth speaker.
The entire lesson with all the parents and the instructor should sing along, and attempt to do ACTIONS in the water that match the lyrics.
See an example at 1:08 where the swimmers are in a circle all kicking their legs and singing together.
https://youtu.be/YxcJVlgaCRc?si=gxskPCeBDraXNx7I&t=68
Here is another example:
Good overview of how to hold the child too:
