FOW - Back to the Wall - Butterfly Kick
Hubbard Family Swim School
Focus of the Week
Back to the Wall
Goals: Emphasize, review, and reinforce key safety skills.
Get the little ones to make decisions. If you jump/fall in, what choice will you make?
Roll over and float or turn around to grab the wall? Practice both!
Little Snappers, Clownfish, Goldfish
Two choices after entering the water:
1. Get back to the wall
○ Spend this week yelling – “Back to the wall”
○ Jump in or fall in on your tummy. Turn around and go back to a target on the wall.
○ Make sure the student jumps away from the wall. As they are learning, position yourself where you can make sure they do not turn and hit their chin on the wall.
3 steps to this process
1) Above the water – student sits on the wall. Teacher’s shoulder/back is against the wall – lean the child forward onto their hand, turn the child around teacher in a half circle - have the child grab the wall.
2) Under the water – From sitting position, child plops in on their belly – teacher guides them around underwater back to the wall catching their breath when they reach the wall. When child is comfortable, repeat from standing position.
3) Independently – all by themselves! It is ok if they catch a breath before getting back to the wall but not necessary.
2. Get back to the wall accomplished? Let’s jump out to the teacher and rollover and float.
Ribbon: I can jump in, return to the wall, and climb out!
Butterfly Kicks
Goals: Work on butterfly kicks. The kick is a full body motion. Student leads with a chest down, bottom up motion and finishes with feet together.
NOTE: If students are swimming towards the wall, place a marker on the pool floor where they should stop and look for the wall so they do not hit their heads on the wall.
Jellyfish
○ Introduce butterfly kicks. Start w/ arms at side, practice while standing on deck.
▪ “chest down - belly out”
○ Start with a short distance so catching a breath is unnecessary. Once the kick is stronger, then increase distance and allow them to roll over or take a pop up breath as needed.
Octopus, Lobster
○ As you increase distances, body position is critical.
○ Progression: Start with arms at side. Float, Full Body Dolphin, Float. Then try arms out in front. Arms stay quiet as the body follows thru the body dolphin motion.
Ribbon: I swam butterfly across the pool!
