Based in Madrid, with summer just around the corner, we decided it was high time for our little one to learn how to swim. We considered classes, but the schedules didn’t work, or they were simply too crowded and seemed inefficient. So, my husband and I decided: let’s teach him ourselves! After a month of effort, our kid can now swim about 10-15 meters with proper breathing. It worked out pretty well, so I’m here to share our experience as a reference for other parents with the same idea.
Choosing a Venue and Gear
The first step is finding a suitable pool. Instead of crowded public pools, we opted for the heated pool at a nearby gym (Gimnasio). It requires a membership, but the benefits are fewer people, cleaner water, and dedicated shallow areas and lanes for kids, with the water being about 1.2 meters deep—very friendly for beginners. You can look for a similar piscina climatizada in your city; the experience is much better. It’s also a good chance to learn some useful [swimming vocabulary in Spanish].
As for gear, besides the basics like a swimsuit, cap, and goggles, the most important aids are a kickboard and a back float. These two items are lifesavers for beginners! We got ours at Decathlon; they’re affordable and the quality is decent. I initially considered armbands, but I realized they seriously hinder arm strokes, so we skipped them. For adults or older kids who enjoy listening to music while training, you might also be interested in [swimming headphones].
A Breakdown of Our Teaching Steps
We were basically figuring things out as we went, but here’s a summary of the stages we followed:
1. Getting Comfortable in the Water & Breathing Practice
Don’t rush into teaching strokes right away! First, let your child play in the shallow end to overcome any fear. The focus here is on holding their breath and exhaling underwater. We played games, like blowing bubbles with our mouths underwater and competing to see who could make more, or having him put his whole face in the water to hold his breath for a few seconds. Be patient during this phase; the goal is to make your child feel that water is fun, not scary.
2. Floating and Kicking
Once they’re comfortable in the water, introduce the kickboard. Start by having your child hold the kickboard with both hands and lie flat on their stomach, feeling their body float. Then, focus on the leg movements—the flutter kick. Tell them to imagine their legs are little motors, keeping their toes pointed and using their thighs to drive the alternating up-and-down kicks. The goal for this stage is to be able to move forward using only their kicks while holding the board.
3. Coordinating Arm Strokes and Breathing
This is the hardest part of learning to [swim in Spain]! Coordinating the rhythm of arm strokes and breathing is key. We practiced on land first, mimicking the movements to help him understand the rhythm of ‘one arm stroke, turn your head for a breath.’ In the water, he would hold the board with one hand and practice stroking with the other, coordinating it with turning his head to breathe. Once he got the hang of it, we tried it without the kickboard. Here’s a simple practice plan we made for him, which you can use as a reference:
| Exercise | Key Points | Daily Goal |
|---|
| Kicking with Kickboard | Point toes, kick from the thighs | 25m lane x 4 |
| One-Arm Stroke Drill | Hold board with one hand, stroke + side breathing with the other | 25m x 2 for each arm |
| Swimming without Aids | Slow pace, focus on rhythm, stay calm | Try to swim 5-10 meters |
Throughout this whole process, our biggest takeaway is that patience and encouragement are more important than anything else. Praise your child wildly for any progress. If they swim 5 meters today, they might be brave enough to try for 7 tomorrow. If they’re not feeling it on a particular day, don’t force it; just playing in the water is fine too. I hope our experience can help you all. Wishing all your little champs become great swimmers soon! Maybe we’ll run into each other at the beach someday!
