Teaching swimming lessons to beginners is more than imparting a life skill; it isn’t just about strokes and splashes - it’s about building trust, breaking fears, and watching that lightbulb moment when a beginner realizes, “Hey, I can do this!”
Whether you're a parent, instructor, or enthusiast, allow me to provide a structured approach to teaching swimming to beginners, emphasizing safety, gradual skill development, and fun.
First off, let’s put ourselves in their swim shoes. If you’ve ever worked with beginners, especially the little ones or anxious adults, you already know what I’m talking about…
💡 Your job? Be their calm in the splashy storm. Encourage every win, no matter how small.
Lesson 1: Getting Comfortable in the Water
Goal: Get them relaxed and playful.
Try this:
Mark's tip: Keep it light. Make ‘em laugh. If they’re smiling, they’re learning.
"Some of my favourite moments from my past lessons have been when a child arrives on the poolside crying and clinging on to their parent not wanting to go near me or the water, to having such fun, they don't want to leave and get out. The following week they return and can't wait to get in the water and continue having fun while they learn. They are nowhere near able to swim, but they have built trust in me and are learning to love the water. "
Ready-made Swim Lesson Plans For Beginners
The hard work of planning has been done for you.(click here for an instant preview) Ready-made lesson plans for beginners, covering everything from first entering the water, building confidence to swimming basic front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke. Simple, comprehensive and progressive.
Don't miss out! Click here to check them out!
Lesson 2: Let’s Build Some Confidence
Goal: Introduce breathing and floating.
Try this:
Mark's tip: Stay close and let them know you’ve got their back (literally and emotionally).
Lesson 3: Moving Like a Swimmer
Goal: Get them moving across the water—slowly, surely, safely.
Try this:
Mark's tip: Model it first. Then do it with them. Then cheer them on while they try solo.
Download a few detailed beginner lesson plans to try out.
The best way to teach swimming is to focus on one or two of the following areas in each lesson and gradually include them all over a period of several lessons.
With Kids:
With Adults:
Safety = trust. And trust is everything in these early stages.
"So many times, parents come up to me after their little ones' swimming lesson and say 'I don't know how you have the patience'. Over the years I have been screamed at, dealt with stubborn refusal and even had a child storm off and refuse to come back. These are few and far between and I've always managed to get them back onside eventually. Patience, calm and the ability to build trust and rapport are all tools in our teaching toolkit. Using those tools and seeing the results are what makes teaching swimming one of the best jobs in the world. "
When teaching swimming lessons to beginners, if they have learnt the skills outlined above, they will be well placed to begin learning some swimming techniques. Introducing each of the four basic swimming strokes involves breaking each stroke into its components. For this, we use BLABT (body position, legs, arms, breathing and timing), where you use separate drills to teach each part of the stroke.
Start by making the water fun and non-threatening. Focus on games, play, and simple actions like blowing bubbles and walking in the shallow end. Build trust first—skills come second.
Lesson 1 should focus on water confidence: gentle entry, playing on the steps or edge, splashing, blowing bubbles, and fun activities that get them relaxed.
Fear is normal. Reassure, stay close, and use games or toys to redirect focus. Let them go at their pace. Celebrate small wins like dipping a toe or getting splashed without panicking.
With kids, make it fun and silly—songs, toys, short lessons. For adults, empathize with their fears, explain each step, and focus on calm, respectful instruction. Both need patience.
Kickboards, pool noodles, floaty toys, and goggles are great. They offer support, reduce fear, and turn lessons into play.
It varies. Some beginners learn basics in weeks, others take months. What matters most is regular lessons, building trust, and keeping it positive.
BLABT stands for Body position, Legs, Arms, Breathing, and Timing. It helps break each stroke into teachable chunks. You build technique one step at a time.
Show up calm, stay consistent, and encourage even the smallest progress. A smiling face and patient tone do more than you think.
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The Definitive Guide To Teaching Outstanding Swimming Lessons.
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