Slalom Diving
The child dives through one or more underwater tunnels using arm and leg propulsion. Pushing off the wall is not allowed. The child must first reach the required depth, maintain it briefly, move forward at that depth, and then surface again. The exercise can be adapted by adding more tunnels or increasing the distance between them. This exercise primarily develops the two core elements: breathing and propulsion.
Preparation Exercises
Touch the bottom
Do this exercise with your child in a shallow children’s pool, about hip- to chest-deep. Begin by having them stretch both arms upward. The goal is to touch the pool bottom with a different body part each time. Announce each step, count to three, and perform it: right hand, left hand, both hands, backside, and as a challenge, the nose. Warn your child about touching their nose to avoid injury. This exercise teaches proper behavior to reach a specific depth in the water. Many children find it challenging to submerge their entire body, and the gradual difficulty provides both success experiences and a rewarding challenge.
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.
