---

Teaching Swimming Lessons To Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

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.

Start with the Mindset – What Beginners Are Really Thinking

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…

• Fear of the unknown – The swimming pool environment can be intimidating. That first walk out onto the poolside? It’s a big deal.
• Confidence issues – They’re worried about sinking, choking, or just looking silly.
• Coordination chaos – Swimming asks a lot from your body at once, and that can feel overwhelming.

💡 Your job? Be their calm in the splashy storm. Encourage every win, no matter how small.

Lesson Plans That Actually Work

Lesson 1: Getting Comfortable in the Water

Goal: Get them relaxed and playful.

Try this:

• Use the steps or sit on the pool edge and slowly ease in.
• Blow bubbles. It’s not just fun—it’s foundational!
• Play splashy games with floaty toys.

Mark's tip: Keep it light. Make ‘em laugh. If they’re smiling, they’re learning.

Lesson 2: Let’s Build Some Confidence

Goal: Introduce breathing and floating.

Try this:

• Dip the face in water while humming or blowing bubbles.
• Support them while they try back floats—hands under the shoulders, soft voice.
• Kick practice at the wall—get those legs going!

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:

• Wall push-offs with a glide (with buoyancy aids if needed).
• Arm movements while standing (front crawl or front paddle).
• Put it all together with a noodle, back float or kickboard for support.

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. 

Adjust for Age – One Size Doesn’t Fit All

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:

• Keep it short and silly. Play is learning at this age.
• Songs, floaty toys, and silly voices? Yes, they are always winners!
• Parents in the water? For baby lessons yes. Maybe not for toddlers and older kids as they could be more of a distraction and therefore a hindrance.

With Adults:

• Talk through the fear - listen and empathise.
• Set mini-goals and celebrate like it’s a gold medal.
• Keep the vibe relaxed and judgement-free.

Swimming Aids That Make Teaching Easier (and More Fun!)

• Kickboards and noodles – Because balance is tricky at first.
• Goggles – Takes away the eye sting and boosts underwater confidence.
• Fun floaty toys – A must-have for easing nerves, especially with kids.

Safety First – Always, No Exceptions

• Stay close. Always. Especially in those first few lessons.
• Know your First Aid. You never want to need it—but if you do, be ready.
• Teach pool rules early. Walk, don’t run. Feet first. No pushing.

Safety = trust. And trust is everything in these early stages.

Tips from Experience for teaching swimming lessons to beginners

• Patience is your superpower. Trust me, it shows.
• Flex your teaching muscles. Not every swimmer learns the same way, so be prepared to diversify.
• Routine = results. Especially for little children - routine is their security.
• Keep it light. If you’re enjoying it, they will too.

BLABT - The easy way to remember the parts of a swimming stroke

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.

Click here to learn more about effective communication and positive praise when teaching swimming to children.

The Best Way To Teach Swimming - All In One Book

Download How To Be A Swimming Teacher and discover everything you need to teach outstanding swimming lessons that get results. Click here for an INSTANT PREVIEW.

The Definitive Guide To Teaching Outstanding Swimming Lessons.

Go to Top