How to get my 2.5 year old in the swimming pool!

[sheeplikessleep]

Any advice to encourage my 2 year old into the pool? I've been a bit rubbish and not taken him very much (more when he was about 6-12 months and he was fine then, but not since then).

DH has started taking him the last 2 weekends and both times, he's sat at the edge, refusing to go in (despite positive encouragement, watching the Peppa swimming pool episode beforehand, bribery etc). If DH tries to pick him up, he screams.

The water is 31', so plenty warm enough.

He's fine in bath. But he is sometimes a little sensitive to new experiences. Any advice or suggestions very welcome. Thanks

Go with a group of other children that he knows?

Thanks for posting - good idea. I'm tempted to try that and to almost leave him at edge of pool and focus on having fun in pool (sometimes encouragement just makes him dig his heels in. Obviously, I'd still be watching him closely

Is he warm enough - do you have a swim vest for him? My dd2 always shivered in the pool even in warm water.

Also try a very small baby paddling pool in your garden if you have one.

Are there some steps leading into the pool (not a ladder, but steps) that he can stand on? He can gradually go down another step when he is comfortable/ready.

DD learned at a leisure centre that had a big lap pool for confident swimmers, and a smaller 'teaching' pool with big wide graduated steps leading into the water. The water in the teaching pool was quite a lot warmer than the 'main' pool, which helped.

She stood on the top step for quite awhile. Then sat down on the step too to get a bit more wet. She moved down when she was ready.

Thanks Pixie - some really good suggestions there. He sits with his feet in, but that's all. It opens at 8am, so that might be a good time to go, as he is less tired then too. He had a major tantrum in changing room (he didn't want to leave the pool, despite not getting in!) refusing to have his nappy and clothes put on, screaming at top of his voice, stuggling and kicking out. DH had to restrain him to get him dressed (not easy in a hard plastic changing room!) It's just a phase, it's just a phase, it's just a phase ...

Belgo - are you my DH (who just suggested a paddling pool!)?? That's a good idea too. We're going to a villa in Majorca with family in September, so want him to be used to it before then.
Earlybird - there are steps in, he currently sits on top step. I guess it is just a matter of time - how long did it take with your dd?

It might be worth trying lessons. I take DS (2.6) to a lesson every week and have been doing so since he was 1 so he's pretty confident in the water now as are the other kids in the class.
A new girl started on Friday and she'd not had lessons so was reluctant to get in at first, but once she saw what the other children were doing and that they were having fun, she joined in.
The other advantage is that the pool would be quiet and controlled with the lesson going on.
Of course, you might end up shelling out for lessons and then have him not want to get in, but peer pressure is a pretty powerful thing for toddlers! Plus, the teacher will be used to encouraging reluctant swimmers.

How is he in the bath? Have a good splash around, perhaps in his swimming cossie. The watering can is a good idea, you can use this at bathtime too. Lots of games "washing your face", "big splashes" etc.

If you go back to the pool you can do these games with adult in pool and him on the edge.

Is there a pool anywhere that doesn't have an edge? Just a gentle slope? It might help if he sits "in" the water but right on the limit, and slowly shuffle in - if he wants to.

Hmm - don't remember exactly as it has been a few years, but she was very resistant at first. It seemed to work well when I went into the water with her and carried her around the pool - sort of like an 'in-the-water-cuddle'. She knew she could trust me to hold her, and the physical closeness seemed to comfort her somehow.

I would say this though - don't pressure him. Just keep going, and keep letting him sit on the top step. Eventually he'll get bored/see it is no big thing, and will feel comfortable trying a bit more.

There is such a fine line between force (even gentle force), coercion and encouragement. If your impatience and agitation about the reluctance adds to his anxiety, he is likely to resist more strongly and for longer.

I think the one other thing that helped is she had some swimming lessons. The instructor was experienced with small children and their fears, and dd eventually responded to him. She grew to love swimming, and now is like a little fish!

Borntofolk - swimming lessons might be an idea. I'll think about that.

Shaz - he loves the bath. \we've got a watering can he plays with in garden, I think getting paddling pool out, with watering can might be an idea.

I think we need to play in pool, rather than just continually trying to coax him in.

Earlybird - thanks so much, that's really useful to think of it in that way. I'm a bit worried our frustration and impatience is showing through (unknowingly to us).

We'll keep going as we are and look into lessons. Hopefully he'll get comfortable with environment soon.

thanks everyone for posting - really good advice (and reassuring that I'm not doing the wrong thing by NOT just chucking him in)

not definitely not your dh!

agree with the others, carry on going regularly, and each time encourage him to go one step more in the water.

we take barth sqirt thomas the tank engine. this seems to distract DS enough for me to swim round with him holding on. it does take a good 30mins for him to relax and enjoy it.

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