How to get a toddler comfortable swimming

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We're at centre parcs and have been swimming twice and DS (2) just won't let go. I walked him into a shallow pool until he lost his footing in a rubber ring with a seat and he lost his tiny mind. We also have an arm/chest float and have a ball all of which he likes playing with by the side of the pool.

We asked him this morning and he got really excited about going. He just didn't seem to actually have fun.

I know it's my fault for not taking him swimming on a regular basis but is there anything I can do to help him to enjoy it while we're here?

Walk around in the water whilst carrying him? Rather than free floating. I am not sure there is an answer beyond giving it time and just letting him sit by the side to play for now.

My DS hated swimming on his own, but loved being on the water if he had an arm around him. Eventually he would be ok in a ring, or with flotation aids, but it took some time. He still hates swimming, but is happy to play and splash around with DD.

I hope it gets easier for you both.

Thanks. Luckily dd seems to be a water baby and is ok on a float so mine and DH's attention is on DS. He's like a limpet, we've gone yesterday afternoon and this morning and he seems pretty happy bobbing around holding onto one of us but the slightest hint or suggestion he lets go and he panics!

I guess we just keep taking it easy and I try and find a class when we get home.

Yes, I would just carry him around in the water, and maybe sit with him in the very shallow (like 3 inches) water at the edge of the pool and let him paddle if he's comfortable with that.

He will get used to it. If you rush things amd scare him then it will obvs set him back a lot.

A busy, noisy pool is also quite intimidating in itself IYSWIM. So he is coping very well.

Sounds like you are really doing the right thing. He is much less scared of the water than a lot of kids I've seen at the pool. Plus he will see his sister having fun and that will encourage him.

Can you not just take him to the Venture cove kiddie area to have fun. Leave the main pool for now and build him up slowly when it's quiet at home.

Also I wouldn't necessarily bother finding a class when you get home at this age.

I would just try to find somewhere with a lagoon-type pool where you could go with him (or go as a family) and let him mess around and explore the water at his own pace, knowing that you are there to help him if necessary.

IMO they don't need to learn any techniques or anything at this age, and they don't need a stranger telling them what to do. They just need to bumble around trying things out and start to feel confident and comfortable in the water. Once they have that confidence and familiarity then they will find learning to swim much easier when they are older.

It's lovely that your DS will associate the water with being on holiday and having fun with you and his dad. If your DD enjoys the water too then swimming could be a great family outing at the weekend now and then.

When ours were this age we got comfy in the little jacuzzi type pool areas and sat them next to us on the ledges and they played with the water toys, it really got them used to the water and then they were ok after that.

My toddler DS is the same. We have started taking him weekly to a lagoon type pool. He has good and bad weeks. I find he reacts well to doing little things for 3 seconds so for example '1, 2, 3' and he jumps or takes 3 steps forward or something, we've found that all that's helped us is time and to keep him in the routine of going.

I took DD swimming a couple of months ago, for the first time since she was a tiny baby (she had skin issues and we didn't want to take her for a long time). I let her be a limpit, but very gently ran my own hand through the water in a big circle (so you get a little ripple effect) and kept showing her, saying isn't it nice, until she started copying me and taking one hand off my neck. And then very gently on from there, over quite a few sessions, just doing more and more really gentle things to get her to let go more. She liked holding my shoulders/costume strips and bouncing on my knees while I crouched in the water, and later on riding on my back while I swam. And she loved being 'jumped' off the side and swooshed around (I held her tight the whole time - it was me bouncing her in rather than actually making her jump!).

She's been going for about 6-8 weeks now and she'll let go of me and swim from one side of the pool to the other with her armbands on, or do a little bit without them.

I think it really is just about taking it very, very slow and making it obvious to him that you won't let go before he's ready.

Just wanted to pop back and say thank you for all the advice. I had completely forgotten about the Venture cove area, we took DS there yesterday and he loved it! He even went down a couple of slides with splashes at the bottom. I think we'll be going back and making the most of that on our last couple of days.

We live abroad so have everyday access to a pool and my toddler is the same! So don't blame yourself about not having him around pools. We have a kids pool that is about his waist height and he wouldnt even stand in it, expect when I let him keep his crocs on! He is much better when daddy takes him, I think it might be because I'm quite anxious in water and he picks up on it. I would just let him play at the side and cuddle you as he needs and maybe focus on sliding in to the pool from the side into your arms if he lets you?

We had a gap over the summer and my DS is a few months older and now is quite happy to wander about the toddler pool himself. He seems to have grown in confidence with his swimming so maybe it's just a time thing? He is quite a cautious child in everything so I do think it's just personality linked.