Ring Diving
The child collects five rings placed on the pool floor in a single dive. The rings are spaced approximately 3 meters apart from each other. The pool should be at least 1.80 meters deep. The diving style can be freely chosen. The exercise begins either with a head dive or directly from the water. This activity helps develop underwater propulsion and breathing techniques.
Preparation Exercises
Pressure equalization
The child dives headfirst to a depth of about 1.5 meters. As soon as they feel pressure in their ears, they should hold their nose with one hand and try to blow gently through their nose to perform a pressure equalization in their ears. It’s best to demonstrate the pressure equalization to the child on land beforehand. It is important to note that water pressure increases with depth. At around 1.5 meters, the pressure can be felt as an uncomfortable sensation in the ears. When this pressure is noticed, a pressure equalization must be performed to prevent high pressure on the ears from causing serious injury.
Holding breath
Use a pool noodle or a kickboard on the water. The child holds onto it with one hand and participates in a "diving competition." At your signal, the child submerges until you remove the pool noodle. Start with two seconds and gradually increase the time. This fun exercise encourages small successes and improves the child's ability to stay underwater longer—an important skill for the core exercise "airplane," where holding their breath for at least five seconds is required.
