7 Reasons we don’t use floaties
Flotation devices hinder your child’s ability to learn how to swim
When you enrol your child in swimming lessons you enrol them as you want them to learn how to swim. Most flotation devices are designed to keep the body in a vertical position in the water. When we swim we want to achieve a horizontal body position! Any flotation device especially ones that keep you in a horizontal position are not allowing you to learn to swim.
Flotation devices throw away paid lesson time
Flotation devices are used as a safety precaution by most swim schools when young students wear floaties in lessons swim schools can cram more students into a class. As students wait their turn they have floaties on. To practice a skill the teacher removes the floaties. Up to 50% of a lesson can use wasted on fitting floaties on and off.
Flotation devices give children and parents a false sense of security
Children that regularly swim with floaties on will tell you “I can swim”! Scary, ha? We don’t want children to think they can swim when they can not. It is important that a child understands their abilities in the water and has trust in adults to assist them in the water.
When children are wearing floaties parents often become comfortable while children are in the water. Flotation devices do not substitute supervision and parents or a supervising adult should be in arms reach of children that require the support of a flotation device.
Flotation devices are generally inflatable
We all know that most floaties are Inflatables, which means they can pop and deflate. And on another note, they can also slide off.
Flotation devices can cause a fear
Sometimes children can become so comfortable wearing a flotation device that they use it as a crutch. When they come to swimming lessons and don’t have a flotation device on, they have to re-learn how to be comfortable in the water all over again, unfortunately, it generally takes a while to learn that water supports the body (buoyancy), this is crucial in the learn-to swim journey.
Children should be aware of their real swimming abilities
Flotation devices are buoyant, and they do not allow a child to learn about their body and their buoyancy in the water. If a child can not float independently they will NOT swim properly!
Children learn to swim FASTER!
When children learn to swim without floaties the become stronger, smarter swimmers much faster.