The front crawl is a complicated swimming skill, and you won’t be able to teach it all at once. Here’s a tip to help your kids get better at propelling themselves forward while they swim.

Grab Some Water to Make Each Stroke Count

Ask your child to think about grabbing a handful of water and pulling it down to his hip. Have him imagine that he’s trying to keep the water from falling out of his hand. He should keep his fingers together and his palm gently cupped. How does it feel?

Play with this for a long time. Keeping the water from slipping through your fingers helps to make each stroke count.