Toddler - week 2
Lesson Overview
This lesson builds on toddlers' early water familiarity and focuses on encouraging confident, joyful exploration of the pool environment. It supports developing basic water skills—gentle submersion and bubble-blowing, supported floating and kicking, and simple breath control—while reinforcing safety awareness and close caregiver partnership.
The aims are to increase comfort in the water, introduce foundational breath and buoyancy skills, promote independent movement with appropriate adult support, and foster social interaction and listening through playful, task-based activities that celebrate small successes.
This Is The Way - P01
Circle - children and parents in pairs around teacher Follow actions in lyrics Parent and child facing teacher (Modification: parent and child face to face)
Parent can demonstrate actions if child is not ready to do on their own.
Parent and child participate
Parent and child face to face or facing teacher. Have children stand on island and do actions.
- This is the way we jump up high, jump up high, jump up high
- This is the way we jump up high
- In the swimming pool
- ... go swish swish
- ... turn around
- ... splash our hands
- ... make it rain
- ... kick our feet
- ... blow our bubbles
- ... wave bye bye
Entry Down Steps - P01
Close hip hold Parents line up on side of pool Parent holds railing to enter down steps Parent and child participate
Ensure parent is holding the rail while climbing down the steps
Parent walking down steps with child in close hip hold
Needs to be supported in upright position
Development in WaterNeeds full parent participation
Multiple Swims - P01
Child in side hold Parent initiates 2 submersions in a row
Parent initiates 2 submersions in a row
Tower: Tip In or Jump - P01
Climb up to top Sit & tip into water or jump in One at a time
Assisted
Swim to tower from edge or stairs.
Tower: Swim through Tunnel - P01
Teacher/parent initiates swim Child stretches arms in front & glides through tower to parent One at a time
Allow child to push off and initiate swim - must stay streamlined to get through all the way to other side.
Assisted
Submersion Technique - P01
Parent and child face to face Hold under child's arms Lift up slightly while moving forward (like going over a speedbump) Allow child's weight to take them underwater as they come down from speedbump One at a time Line - child on stairs OR Line - children and parents in pairs lined up across pool
Parent practice speedbump technique, face to face
Surfing - P01
Child stands in center of mat and balances while teacher turns mat in circle One at a time
Slowly Assisted if necessary
Wave Goodbye - P01
Hip hold In circle around teacher Follow actions to lyrics Parent demonstrates activity until child joins in
Allow child to join in when s/he is ready
Child in hip hold. Parent demonstrates. Child observes
Needs to be strong enough to hold head up independently
Development in WaterNeeds full participation of parent
- Splash hands splash hands
- And wave goodbye
- Splash hands splash hands
- And jump up high
- Splash hands splash hands
- And wave goodbye
- See you all again next time
Exit Up Stairs - P01
Parent carrying child on hip Parent holds railing and walks up stairs
Parent carrying child