People tend to think of floating as basic, but it takes a lot of practice. Even for adults, floating without moving is tough. Floating is about getting a feel for buoyancy and your body. For kids, who are less buoyant, it can be one of the hardest things to master. Here’s how to teach your kids to float on their backs.

First of all, remember that the back float can feel precarious for kids without much body fat. We’re most buoyant in the lungs, but even if the chest remains near the surface, the legs and lower body will tend to sink. The sinking feeling can cause kids to panic. It’s important to ease into teaching this swimming skill.

The First Stage of Teaching the Back Float

The back float is an ideal skill to practice on dry land. Most kids don’t like the feeling of being in the water on their backs. They tend to try to lift their heads and bend at the waist, which makes them sink. Practicing on land helps them to get a feel for what to expect of their bodies before they have to cope with the water. Have your child lie on his back on dry land and focus on keeping his shoulder blades and bottom touching the floor and his legs and arms relaxed. Have him tilt his head back so that his chin is pointing up.

Use the bathtub to help your child get used to the sensation of lying on his back in the water with the water over his ears. Have him lie on his back while the pool fills or drains and the water is just deep enough to cover his ears. Lie in the bath yourself with your child lying on top of you on his back. He’ll get used to the sensation of being buoyant and floating but feel completely supported by your body.