In the water children first learn how their body’s natural buoyancy works and then usually start with floating, rolling over and rudimentary arm and leg paddle movements that aid propulsion. Once they master what Langendorfer refers to as the “human stroke” (also called ‘dog paddle’ or ‘beginner stroke’), they are then ready to build on those fundamental skills by learning more the initial levels of formal swim strokes such as front and back crawl and breaststroke.

“Some kids stay in this exploration stage for years before they are ready to progress to formal stroke development,” he said. “Aquatic professionals and parents need to realize this and adjust their expectations to fit the natural pattern of how individual kids develop motor skills, whether it be walking, throwing a ball or learning to swim. It almost always takes more than one summer,” he added, “and that’s ok.”

In fact, Langendorfer believes that the more water safety instructors focus on these fundamental aquatic skills at a child’s own individual pace, the better and more easily that child will be able to master formal stroke skills later in life.

Langendorfer hopes that more aquatic facilities will adopt swim curricula that are based on “developmentally appropriate practices,” which is an educational model based on research by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In an aquatic scenario, the idea is that an instructor would match the task in the water to the capabilities of the individual swimmer. He believes this learning process allows swimmers to experience more success than failure, and perhaps at a faster rate, while encountering and mastering each aquatic skill in turn.

Langendorfer, who has been a volunteer expert helping the American Red Cross update its Swimming and Water Safety program (releasing spring 2009), believes the organization’s decision to add a Preschool Aquatics curriculum will have a positive impact on the aquatics industry and those learning to swim.

“Having separate, but integrated aquatic programs designed specifically for infants/toddlers, preschoolers and older children/adults will help members of each group master skills that are developmentally appropriate, which will ultimately translate into greater success for most swimmers,” he said.

Even though research supports beginning formal swim lessons around age four, Langendorfer is a strong believer that informal, individualized infant swim activities focused on acclimatization and readiness do have value; and that an early and gradual introduction to swimming is the best approach.

“Research has shown that children who are introduced to the water early around age one have greater movement quality in water and on land,” he said. “They tend to be more graceful and coordinated, better balanced, and have more confidence in how their bodies move.”

Langendorfer added that they also tend to be more ready for swim lessons and have less fear when learning to swim at age four or five. But he is quick to point out that infant and toddler swim lessons do not “drown proof” a child, no matter how many basic skills are taught and mastered.

Langendorfer is the first to agree that the aquatic industry needs to invest in more research to better understand the process of learning to swim and drowning prevention, but he also believes that following a learner-centered instructional approach that follows naturally occurring development patterns is the best method available today and achieves the greatest success.

2