Diving with Baby / Infants
This core exercise is simple to explain. Hold your child under the arms and submerge them completely underwater once. Pay close attention to their reaction. If the child reacts positively, reinforce those feelings with praise and encouragement. If the reaction is negative, remain cheerful and express how amazing the dive was. Avoid amplifying negative emotions. This exercise marks the first time the toddler goes underwater with their head fully submerged.
Preparation Exercises
Dripping
This exercise can be done either in the water or on land. Dip your hand into the water and gently drip it onto the toddler’s head. Observe the child’s reaction and try to encourage positive feelings through praise and reassurance. If the child reacts negatively, you can try the exercise again later. However, avoid reinforcing negative feelings by expressing pity. You can also try distracting the toddler with a toy or other object while lightly dripping water. If the child responds positively to this exercise, you can proceed with the Watering Can Readiness Test.
Häufige Fehler
Diving with an unmotivated child.
As mentioned earlier, you should definitely start with the "watering can readiness test" and only proceed to the core diving exercise if your child reacts positively to water on their face. This might require some patience and can sometimes feel frustrating, but we strongly encourage you to take the necessary time. Forcing children to dive often results in strong negative feelings towards water. By the age of three or four, children should ideally begin submerging themselves independently, but such negative experiences can significantly slow down this process.
