Ways to help children not fear water when learning to swim has always been a top concern for many parents as summer approaches. How can a child stop being terrified of touching water and instead happily, confidently begin the journey of learning to swim? The story of Duy, a 4-year-old who once “cried out loud just because water splashed on his face,” will inspire anyone who is going through this fear with their child.
From a child who is “more afraid of water than of injections”
As a mother who wants her child to learn to swim early, Mia always looks for ways to help children not fear water when learning to swim. “The first time I took Duy to the pool, he didn’t dare to dip his foot in water even though I stood underneath ready to catch him,” Mai (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) recalls. “He cried silently just because a few droplets of water splashed onto his face.”
Duy is a sensitive child. Even a small change in water temperature or a loud sound echoing in the pool can startle him and make him uncooperative. At first, Mai and her husband thought “he’s probably not old enough to learn swimming,” but then they wondered: If we don’t start now, when will he ever overcome it?
Small strategies, big changes
Becoming friends with water at home every day
Mai shares: “I didn’t teach him to swim right away. I just let him play with water, a little each day.” From washing vegetables, watering plants, to playing with water toys in the bathtub, all of it was gentle, not forcing. He began to feel that water wasn’t scary anymore.
Storytelling with water-themed elements
She chose children's books about the sea, singing fish, little kids learning to swim… to read to him before bed. “He began asking ‘Is the sea deep, mom?’, ‘Do fish know how to hug me?’… That’s a good sign.”
Choose a mini inflatable pool as the first testing ground
Before going to the big pool, the family set up a medium-sized inflatable pool in the yard. “Every afternoon, I sit in the pool with Duy, initially just sitting, then soaking his feet, then splashing a little water. When he saw that he could control everything, he wasn’t afraid anymore.”
Ways to help children not fear water when learning to swim: From dipping feet to the breaststroke
After two months, Duy has had a wonderful journey to overcome his fear and become confident in the water:
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Week 1: He only dared to dip his foot in the water, hugging his mom tightly
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Week 2: He started blowing bubbles in the water, grinning when water splashed on his face
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Week 3: He learned to kick in place with a life jacket
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Week 4: Began practicing breathing, face in the water for a few seconds
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Weeks 5–6: Practice back floating, swimming with a flotation board
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In the second month: First time swimming 2 meters with arm floats and getting to shore by himself
“By week 7, Duy said ‘I want to swim like a superhero.’ I knew I had won the first round,” Mai smiles.
Mother’s lessons learned after the journey
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Don’t rush. Every child has their own pace. Forcing pressure only makes them shut down more.
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Always play with your child. When both parents are wet, the child feels it’s a shared fun, not a personal challenge.
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Equip fully the child swimming gear: Swim goggles water-resistant, life jackets that fit snugly, colorful swimsuits—all contribute to making the child feel safer.
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Notice every small progress.“He can put his face in the water for 5 seconds, and I cheered as if I hit the jackpot. He feels that pride and wants to continue.”
Mai notes that one of the ways to help children not fear water when learning to swim is to choose a life jacket and animal-shaped water toys, which helped Duy “fall in love with water” as much as he loves stuffed animals.
From a boy who “wouldn’t even dip his toes in the water,” Duy was able to float and learn the basic frog kick after only two months. No magic here. Just perseverance, sensitivity, and a parent’s heart always by his side.
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If you are looking for ways to help children not fear water when learning to swim, don’t hesitate to start with small things. It might be that today your child only dares to splash water in a basin, but tomorrow, they will conquer the entire pool with the joy and confidence that you have given.
