The role of adaptation to water and swimming in PE classes

In the life of an individual from early school-age to young adulthood the development of the bony system, as well as of the individual organs is of great importance. Swimming is the best method and an optimal tool for scaffolding these biological changes.  One of the most fundamental questions of the physical development of children aged 6-12 is the proper stimulation of their respiratory organs, heart and circulation system by swimming. Swimming is also ideal to reach the ideal endurance-level, typical for the given age group. Before we start to teach the individual swimming styles the learners need to perform five basic adaptation exercises which will make them feel good and safe in water. In order to do these exercises the first thing to do is to get into the pool. The pool itself will determine how to organize this phase of the swim lesson. If there are built-in stairs, those should be used. Safety is the most important issue. If the learners do not feel safe it may lead to the failure of teaching. If the stairs are unstable metal stairs the teacher should be extra careful. The stable, built-in stairs offer more stability and comfort. In both situations it is one of the golden rules that children are supposed to hold onto the rail and not onto each other.

In teaching adaptation to water some free exercises and natural exercises can be recommended.  

Children may walk around in the pool, or walk across the pool from one side to the other. It is an important element of these exercises that the learners are supposed to do them independently. The children are not supposed to hold each other’s hands or hold onto each other’s shoulders. Children must get used to doing the exercises on their own.  (If they grasp each other’s arms or shoulders they may ’send’ one or another of their classmates under water.) When walking they are supposed to put their whole foot down. Tiptoeing is not allowed. Shifting from one place to another should be performed steadily. If the depth of water and the height of children allow it, we can ask them to do exercises when walking.  Shifting the centre of gravity (lowering, raising) develops the learners’ motor skills.  They can feel the water better if they lower their centre of gravity, bend their legs, walk in water up to the neck, move arms under water from anterior position to lateral position. When walking children may form a ’spoon’ from their hands and pour water on their own faces while keeping their eyes open. Thus they imitate washing their faces.