I just recently got a 15ft wide pool and my two year old doesn’t like it. He also doesn’t care to swim in a lake either. He loves the bath though. My older kids loves swimming. Also we go to my parents lake house a lot during the summer. Any tips on how to get him used to a pool/ lake?
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First don’t try to force him in the pool he maybe scared. second the best thing to do is to just have him dip his feet in every once in awhile to get use to it
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Its normal my daughter still has struggles shes 5 she just willing to go in bigger pools but no beach or lakes yet
Try a smaller one. My daughter did the same thing. Big pools are intimidating for little ones. Start smaller then work ur way up!
If it’s an option for you, my toddler is much more comfortable in pools after being signed up for swimming lessons
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It will take time, it’s probably because he can’t reach the bottom. Honestly it’s just trying and trying and trying .
Infant Swim and Rescue lessons!!! Will help your child be comfortable and, most importantly, safe in all bodies of water! Check it out online- www.infantswim.com
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Definitely start with a kiddie pool so he’s not intimidated (we have one of those blue plastic ones). You can also try warming the water up; either leave it in the sun for awhile if you have a hot sunny day, or, as I do here in Seattle, add some buckets of hot tap water to the cold hose water. I try to make it a little cooler than bath water. A kiddie pool doesn’t take as long to heat it up, and it makes all the difference in the world! By the time it starts cooling down he’s already used to it. I also throw a lot of his favorite bath toys in there, and get in with him. He’s not a huge fan of bright sunlight, so I put the pool somewhere with filtered sunlight and put a big hat on him! Just don’t force it on him…if nothing else, have him splash around in it with his hands like it’s a water table. Eventually he’ll just crawl right in!
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I took my son to the lake a couple weeks ago and he was not having it. I held him and went into the water and he calmed down and enjoyed himself after that. He even went off on his own where he could stand. I felt like a total moron though for forgetting his life jacket so someone was always right near him in case he ever fell over or something
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We started at the river just putting their feet in then the swimming pool but I get in their with my 2 boys so they can feel comfortable
Play with him in the water. Hold him and swish him around and show him how fun playing in the water could be. My daughter is like this but she’s almost 2. I have to hold her in the water with me and play together so she can feel better. But she prefers being in the shoreline better and moving around playing with the dirt or sand and throwing them in the water
Hold him don’t rush him or will never get use to it. Will he if you put a life vest on? Still don’t force him into the water. Can he touch the bottom? I play games like tippy toe on the bottom and hold him under his arms and have him jump out of the water. Then have him bend his knees so he slowly gets his mouth in the water. If you make a game it’s not so scary. We started in the bathtub. He will hold his breath and put his face in the water. We found a mask helped in the pool. Made a game throwing a toy in watching it sink eventually he put his face right in the water didn’t even realize it. But when he was ready. Try to force it he freaked out. Started in the pool holding him just getting his feet wet. Then I could get a little more. Then I could get on my knees holding him. It took a lot of time
Swimming arm bands Avery good life jacket it’s because he can’t touch the bottom just hold him swim around the only one hand next thing he’ll be out splashing most important is to reassure you won’t let anything happen to him
Give him is time and space to explore the water. If you try to rush him he could end up being afraid. Reassure him you are there and won’t let anything happy. Show him how much fun it is, and include while also respecting his limits and his confidence grows so will his limits. Just be patient. Also he might not like the temp of the water it might be to cold for him.
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My kid hates the water (except baths) until he was 3. I just brought him toys/playpen and kept a cold washcloth around his neck to keep him cool. Now he’s 14 and loves swimming/fishing… I wouldn’t try to trick him or push him into it… he will just start one day.
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Does he wear glasses? My niece was the same way, her glasses were taken off for the pool and the lake. We got a strap to hold them on when she went to the pool and lake and she was a totally different kid. Loves the water now
Maybe he dont like the cold water. The bath is warm. And imagine the difference in the pool or lake compared to the bath. Its twice as large to him as it is to you. Maybe hes just too young to enjoy it now…
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Let him go at his own pace. Get lots water toys. He’ll eventually love it.
i had my older kids engage him a game he likes in the water. took about 30 min and he is loving the water
Also ask the older kids to be easy on him like no splashing at first . He will get it one on one with you help a lot😀
My son hated the ocean I brought a small inflatable pool and filled that up took a couple hrs but he loves the water now
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Just let him watch the others. With time he will see it is fun and safe
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I was taught to swim at a toddler age… see if anyone does classes for toddlers and babys
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Make sure the water temp is high enough! If the water temp is below 82/3, my babes will scream bloody murder.
Get a pool that is not over his head. I think if they can touch bottom and their head is above water they feel safer.
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They have floats he can stick his feet through. Hold onto the sides and float
Have him start with a kiddy pool it’s about as deep as the bath tub
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The bath water is warm, pool cold, lake colder.
I would get him a swim float and some toys to show him how fun a pool can be
Sit with there feet in the water and move deeper in when they comfortable
No splashing. Keep him close to you. My almost 3yr old likes our 10ft pool but not the public pool.
Don’t force it maybe get some toy boats so he can just sit and play in it
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Buy a cheap small kiddie pool and put it by your pool and let him play in it
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He’s quite young. He’ll be fine in s other two years.
Floaties, life preservers, doughnuts…little dudes like afraid he’ll die? Nutt’n to hang on to!
Get him swim lessons.
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Professional swimming lessons
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Practice! practice! practice!
Have him watch his siblings and you play with him.
If he still doesn’t like it get a splash pad.
When my son was 2 he hated the pool and beach! We would just let him sit in the side with all his water toys and he was happy as can be. I was finally able to get him in the water when he turned 3. He would cling to me at first but we had him swimming by the end of the summer in his own. Just give him time to warm up to the water.
Get him a smaller one to play in.( we got a hard plastic with built in slide and hose attachment for a sprayer) And start with a few inches of water and bath tub toys. Slowly add a little more water. Over time he will want to come play with the others but for now, his own in his size is a good start.
My grandson would hang on the ladder. I told everyone to leave him alone and he would let go when he was ready and that’s exactly what happened. He did have water wings on.
My eldest used to
Jump off the tallest high board at two. My second used to scream blue murder and rip my costume top off. Turned out she was very hard of hearing and the noise at the public pool terrified her. All my kids now like fish lol.
If you have the time…I had all my children swimming as babies, mommy and me class.
I think swimming lessons is great advice. For me, I just bought a pool and put them in. They came to really love it.