Until this week, Marlow couldn’t swim. In fact, she was never really enthusiastic about getting in the water and when she did, she wore floaties to keep her afloat.

I was chatting to a friend in Australia last month, a mother of three, and she said, “You know the trick for teaching your kids to swim, right?” I stared at her blankly. “You put flippers on them and put them in the water and they will naturally just swim!” The trick seemed too easy to be true. But we bought Marlow-sized flippers just in case.

Earlier this week, we tried it… and what do you know? IT WORKS! Marlow started swimming like a fish (though she insists she’s a sea turtle)! : ) Within minutes she was swimming the length of the pool, under and over water, holding her breath for long periods of a time and becoming a strong, confident swimmer. When we take the flippers off, she’s not as strong or speedy, but she’s still able to swim confidently.

What a quick transition! A tip definitely worth sharing…

Courtney x

p.s. Obviously I only suggest trying this trick under total supervision.