We’re not talking soap bubbles. Nope, we’re talking a swimming skill. You’ve practiced the fundamentals of blowing bubbles on land. Now it’s time to use what they’ve learned and expand on it in a swimming lesson.

Stage 2 of Teaching Your Kids to Blow Bubbles

You can teach the following swimming skills in the bathtub first or move straight to the swimming pool, depending on your kids’ comfort levels, your preference, and the availability of a pool (or tub).

Have your kids try to take in and spit out water.

Have your kids practice holding their breath out of the water. Teach this skill by demonstrating it. Demonstrate by taking an exaggerated breath in, puffing up your cheeks, and holding your nose. Have your kids do the same. Have them try it again without holding their noses. At first, your child can hold his finger right under his nose to make sure no air is being taken in or leaking out through his nose.

When he can hold his breath out of the water for several seconds, have him practice holding his breath and putting his whole face in the water for just a moment. You can practice this in a bowl of water first.

When he’s comfortable with putting his face in the water, have your child hold his breath and put his face in the water for several seconds. You can have him count to three in his head, or you can tap on his back once a second, telling him to lift his head whenever he needs to but to try to hold his breath until you tap his back three times. If you spot a burst of bubbles coming out of the water, it means he’s lost the hang of it and you should lift his head out of the water for the moment.

Do’s

Hold your child’s body close to yours so that he feels supported when you’re teaching this swimming skill.

Don’ts

Don’t force his head, and don’t rest your hand on the back of his head while his face is under the water. Doing either of those things will make your child feel a loss of control. That will make it hard for you to convince him to try again.