Step 7 Submersion to the edge

Now that your child is becoming more comfortable going underwater, we can begin introducing submersion with a purpose — moving towards and reaching the pool edge. 💦

In Step 7 of our Teaching Kids to Swim series, we show you how to support your child as they submerge and move towards the ledge.

Just like our previous underwater activities, we use the consistent verbal trigger “Ready, Go!” so your child knows what is about to happen and has time to prepare.

Say “Ready, Go!”, gently lift your child and then submerge them towards the pool edge.

Body Position is important!

Hold your child high underneath their arms so they feel balanced, supported and secure. We want them to experience a comfortable, balanced position in the water rather than feeling as though they are falling forward.

Encourage their arms to reach out wide and forward like "Superman" 🦸 as they move towards the ledge. This helps introduce a streamlined body position while also teaching them to actively reach for the safety of the pool edge.

💦 Use the consistent “Ready, Go!” verbal trigger
⬆️ Gently lift before submerging
🤲 Support your child high underneath the arms
⚖️ Keep them feeling balanced and secure
🦸 Encourage wide “Superman” arms reaching towards the edge
🏊 Submerge and move towards the ledge
🤝 Encourage your child to reach, grab and hold onto the pool edge

Keep the distance short to begin with. As your child becomes more confident, comfortable and capable, you can gradually allow them to do more of the movement themselves.

The goal isn't to rush towards independent swimming. We are gradually building the skills of breath control, body position, submersion, movement and reaching for the pool edge through positive repetition.

For families with a home swimming pool or access to a swimming pool, this is another important step in helping children develop confidence and independence in the water.

▶️ Watch the next video in the playlist to continue the progression. Follow the complete Teaching Kids to Swim series to see the full journey from water familiarisation through to independent swimming and freestyle.

⚠️ Water Safety: Children must always be actively supervised and within close reach of a responsible adult around water. Keep underwater activities brief and appropriate to your child's confidence and ability. Never force or unexpectedly submerge a child. These videos support swimming practice and are not a replacement for professional swimming lessons.