6 easy steps to teach children breaststroke swimming at home

Breaststroke guidance for children is something many parents care about when they want their child to get acquainted with water in a safe and natural way. Have you ever wondered: “Can I teach my child breaststroke at home?” The answer is absolutely yes – if parents understand the basic steps and create a fun, comfortable learning environment for their child. 

Breaststroke is an ideal swimming style for beginners because the motion mimics a frog, helping the child coordinate arms and legs and control breathing. Additionally, the child can look straight ahead, which creates a sense of safety while swimming.

Simple at-home breaststroke guide for children

Step 1. Warm-up

For breaststroke instruction, children need to warm up their arms and legs to warm up the body and prevent injuries. Arm swings, wrist rotations, leg kicks, and knee rotations help the child stay flexible and ready to enter the water.

Step 2: Breathing underwater

Children should practice breathing at the edge of the pool first to get used to it.

• Inhale through the mouth when the head rises above the water
• Exhale through the nose when the face is submerged

Step 3. Floating on the water’s surface

The child practices floating on the water by lying face down, arms and legs spread and the body relaxed. Then guide the child to combine breathing as in the previous step, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth when the face is down in the water. This helps the child control breathing and increase confidence while swimming.

• Lying on the stomach, body floating level with the water. 

• Head slightly raised, eyes looking forward. 

• Arms and legs extended, body relaxed

Step 4. Leg movement (frog kicks)

• Bend the knees, bringing the heels toward the buttocks

• Spread the feet apart, pushing the water outward and backward

• Straighten the legs, squeeze the legs together to finish the movement

The leg movement in breaststroke is like frog kicking. Parents can have the child sit on the pool edge and practice this on dry land first. Once the child gets used to it, let them practice in the water with parental support or use a kickboard.

Step 5: Arm movements

• Both arms extend forward, palms facing outward.

• Sweep the arms outward to the sides in a crescent shape

• Pull the hands back toward the chest and then straighten them forward (like “hugging the water”)

Parents should guide the child to perform slowly and accurately each step. Practice on dry land before practicing in the water.

Step 6. Coordinating the movements

When the child has mastered the individual arm and leg movements, guide them to combine them.

• Start with the arm movements

• After the arms pull back to the chest, bend the knees

• When the arms extend forward, kick with the legs to create propulsion

In the beginning, parents should support the child by lightly holding the abdomen area or using supportive tools such as a kickboard or arm floats. Gradually, the child will become confident and swim independently.

Notes when teaching breaststroke to children

• Before learning breaststroke, let the child play in a shallow pool or a large tub to help them feel comfortable and not fear swimming lessons.

• Teach the child breathing before learning the movements.

• Break down the breaststroke technique into parts: legs – arms – breathing – coordination.

• Use illustrations or sample videos to make it easier to understand

• Always accompany and encourage to keep the child confident and unworried.

• Use a float or supportive aids when needed; do not let the child practice alone.

• Be patient, gently correct technique, and do not scold.

Provide appropriate supportive equipment

To ensure the breaststroke teaching process for children is safe and effective, parents should provide suitable and complete supportive equipment.

• Goggles: Protect your child's eyes from water and help them see more clearly underwater. Parents can check out Mykingdom swimming goggles

• Arm floats: Help the child maintain balance and float on the water surface, especially useful when they cannot swim yet.

• Kickboard: Helps the child practice kicking and keep balance in the water.

At Mykingdom, we offer a wide range of swimming aids for children, ensuring quality and safety. Parents can visit the Mykingdom website to choose suitable tools for their little one. 

You may be interested in:

• Freestyle swimming for kids: Benefits and how to teach your child from an early age

• Kids' swimming gear: 5 items parents should have for their child

With six steps breaststroke guidance for children that are simple and easy to do at home, parents can completely help their child get acquainted with water and learn to swim safely. Be patient and create a fun learning environment so the child develops swimming skills naturally and effectively.