Baby Splash Intro Lesson Plan Notes

SAFE ENTRY AND WELCOME

Presenter Notes

Teacher and/or PDTL to show all parents where to enter and give a hand to carers where needed.

Teacher and/or PDTL to ensure all children have swimmers nappy and are comfortable.

Teaching Notes

Enter safely and slowly so as to not upset the infant. Show all parents how to have their child held facing away from them with their arm diagonally across the chest from over the top of the shoulder to under the armpit. For apprehensive children introduce a toy to them, or explain to the parent that if the child is unsettled during the presentation to disengage from the group and distract the infant with the toys. If possible gain coordinators attention and have them work with the upset child and parent.

Parent Conversation

Try to Tune into the signals that your baby is telling you, by focusing on their signals, cues and body language. Cues may include blinking of the eyes, turning their head, or arching their back. Over a period of time you will come to learn whether your bub is ready to be active or if they need a rest.

Presenter Notes

The Welcome Song provides an ideal opportunity for the instructor to not only remember the children’s names, but also the parent’s names in the class. Encourage children and parents to splash so that children become accustomed to the water splashing onto their face. Maximum 2-3 rotations, but introduce every carer and infant.

Song

“Chloe’s here today, Chloe’s here today, let’s all splash our hands cause Chloe’s here today.”

Teaching Notes

Instruct parents to form a circle with infants facing into the middle of the circle. Parents to support infant by placing their arms under the infant’s arm pits and across their chest. Parent to cross their hands over in front of the infant and splash their hands whilst singing the introductory song. Encourage parents to splash so that the infant becomes accustomed to the feeling of splashing water on their face. Go around the group, one parent and child at a time. Ask the parent their name, and that of their baby, and then repeat their names to the group. Everyone to sing the song with splashing hand action in time to the song. Repeat for the first 2-3 parent/child, but still repeat the names of the remaining parents/children. Don’t forget to introduce yourself if you have not already done so.

Parent Conversation

Singing helps young bubs retain information aand learn to anticipate routine, allowing for predictability and deeper learning. Studies have shown that music affects the physical, emotional, and intellectual development of babies as well as strengthen cognitive and sensory development.

Presenter Notes

This component keeps the child supported and comfortable by sitting on the carers lap. This skill is the introduction to infants associating kicking legs, with the “This is the way we kick our legs” song. Explain to parents that in this seated position they will also be able to practice paddling hands. Also explain that once children are comfortable in the water that they will be working on cuddle kicks. If appropriate show them how a cuddle kicks rotation works.

Song

This is the way we kick our legs, kick our legs, kick our legs

This is the way we kick our legs in the swimming pool

Teaching Notes

Parents to sit on the ledge or a pool platform and have the child sit on the parent’s lap with the child facing away. The parent will support the child’s legs and kick the child’s legs up and down, so that the child is “bubbling” the water. Parents should be encouraged to keep the child’s feet and legs under the water and “bubble” the water, rather than have their feet coming out of the water and splashing. keeping the feet and legs under. Go through the “This is the way we kick our legs” song a couple of times, giving feedback as you go.

Parent Conversation

A strong bond and trust creates a relaxed baby who is ready to explore the water. Skin to skin contact between the bub and parent, as well as supporting them in a secure, relaxed manner will help promote this bond.

Presenter Notes

This exercise is to introduce all children to becoming comfortable with water running over their face. Explain to parents the importance of taking progressions slowly and to look for cues from the child as to how comfortable the child is when performing this skill. This is a skill that is easily practised at home in the bath. Explain how eventually we would like to see all children performing this skill on themselves.

Teaching Notes

Parents to sit on the ledge or a pool platform and have the child sit on the parent’s lap with the child facing away. Explain to the parents about the importance of using the cue “child’s name, ready, go” on all attempts. We also need to explain to parents about how we are trying to stimulate the trigeminal reflex. This reflex is due to stimulus to the area around the nose, cheek or chin by water, air or even a hand. When going through this exercise parents should gain the child’s attention, fill the cup with water, say the “child’s name, ready, go” and then slowly pour the water over the child.

Initially this may be over the shoulders, then the back of the head and then eventually over the face. For Come and Try sessions ensure all children are comfortable and don’t allow parents to pour over the child’s face unless you perceive that the child will be comfortable with this.

Parent Conversation

Babies regulate contact and stimuli by turning their head away when they have reached their limit. Watch for these signs and give them a break if needed. You can take a break at any time by interacting with the toys or moving your baby rhythmically through the water.

Presenter Notes

This skill will see the parent and child working towards safe, smooth free floats. Encourage parents to have soft hands and use slow, rhythmical movements finishing on their shoulder. This skill will progress to the children free floating to the parent.

Teaching Notes

Parent should be facing the child with shoulders down in the water, one foot behind the other with weight evenly distributed. The parent to support the child by turning their hands upwards, with fingers spread, and placing their hands under the child’s chest. The parent’s thumbs should be placed over the child’s shoulders. Ensure that the hands are together and fingers spread to provide a solid base. With the parent low in the water they should gain the attention of the child, then with a slow rhythmical voice, using the cue “child’s name, ready, go” followed by a short pause to ensure that the child is in a ready state, the parents then gently moves the child forward toward them whilst turning the child sideways so that the child’s cheek is placed in the water.

Parent Conversation

Mum’s and dad’s need to be down on eye level with your baby. This allows for a strong connection between you and your baby. Tummy time helps strengthen neck and arm muscles for crawling - being in the water can be more pleasant for a baby to be on their tummy due to their ability to float and feel weightless.

Presenter Notes

Back floating is an important safety skill and must be progressed slowly. Explain to parents that not all children may be comfortable on their back all of the time, and how this may change dependant on age and normal child development. If the child is uncomfortable for a number of weeks, then take the back float out for a period and then slowly reintroduce.

Song

Twinkle, twinkle little star / How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high / Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle little star / How I wonder what you are.

Teaching Notes

Parents commence with the child in a back cuddle position at the wall. Keeping the child in the back cuddle position the parent slowly lower themselves down into the water and gently lays the child on their back. The child’s head should be resting on the parents shoulder with the parents free hand supporting the child under the hip area (not under the backside as this will encourage legs in the air). Children may become startled if slid back too quickly. Ensure parents keep all movements slow and relaxed.

To help settle any children who wriggle or are unsettled on their back, encourage the parent to seaweed them from side to side, as this will quite often help relax them.

Parent Conversation

All the in water sensations are familiar to us, but for bub, they are exerting heaps of energy to absorb all of the new information they are receiving - the water in the ears, the feeling of being on their back, as well as the movement from laying to sitting.

Presenter Notes

The Goodbye Song is designed to bring all of the class back in together and have children finish on a happy note. It is also an opportune time to gather any feedback about the class.

Song

If you're happy and you know it, splash your hands (splash/splash)

If you're happy and you know it, splash your hands (splash/splash)

If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it

If you're happy and you know it, splash your hands (splash/splash)

If you're happy and you know it, wave bye bye (wave)

If you're happy and you know it, wave bye bye (wave)

If you're happy and you know it, And you really want to show it

If you're happy and you know it, wave bye bye (wave)

Teaching Notes

Bring all of the group back together either onto the platform or mat. Smaller children should be supported by the parent. Explain to parents that this is a fun activity to finish the class on, and children soon know that when they do the Goodbye Song that the class is nearly finished.

At the end of the in water session, thank everyone for their attendance. Hand each family the level ticket that will correspond to the level that their child will commence in. Explain that they need to hand this to reception even if they DO NOT want to book today. Customer service will then either help them make a booking, or provide information for the customer to take away.

Ask if there are any other questions. This way you can stagger the families leaving the pool, which means they will not all hit reception at the same time. Where possible try and engage with one or two families to stagger exits. Once completed, make your way to reception and help the customer service team with enrolling, answering any questions or dealing with timetabling issues.