We all know that it's important to introduce baby to water early on so they get comfortable and learn to swim at an early age, but sometimes parents are stumped about how to do that if they don't have a pool or tub. Never fear! There are tons of ways to make waves. Try a sink soak, play around with a faucet or seek out one of the water features available at local parks. We love taking our boys to creeks and streams here in California. The kids have a blast, and it's a great way to teach them about water movement and safety.
Bam and I have been working with Huggies Little Swimmers for the last few months to help babies thrive in water through fun, safe water play. Michael Phelps and his wife are even taking part with their son Boomer (you can see all the action on the hashtag #trainingfor2032 on Twitter and Instagram). We've had such a blast exploring unique ways to get hands-on with early swim skills.
In addition to being fun and great exercise, safe water play can positively impact baby's development. Giving them confidence in the water will help with their ability to be comfortable in a myriad of difference situations. So get on out there and explore!
The Many Ways to Get Baby in the Water
To me, the most important thing to remember is that water training may look different for different babies. It's not necessarily just about diving right into the pool. You can ease into it with a little kid water table, shallow wading in a stream or a day at the beach.
Dip Those Toes
Don't stress about full submersion. Start with putting baby's feet in the water in a pond, fountain, or even a bowl! You can always start small and work your way up.
Get Siblings Involved
Some of baby's most fun water play days around here happen when we simply bust out a stainless steel trough, bucket or blow-up baby pool on the farm and watch while the big kids get creative with it. Let them see how the water reacts when you glide different toys across the surface (tractors are always a win). You can also leap through a sprinkler with them or twirl a hose around so they can begin to grasp the concept of water movement.
Always Be Prepared
We keep a few Huggies Little Swimmers swimpants stashed in the car for impromptu opportunities to play with friends or family. They don't swell, and they feature easy open sides for an adjustable fit. That makes them perfect for keeping in a diaper bag for fun practice opportunities that could spring up at any time – today or months down the line! You never know when a pal will invite you to a water park or even a community pool.
For more ideas, check out this video showing how Michael Phelps improvises water play with his baby. You can also join in the conversation with the hashtag #Trainingfor2032 and save $1.50 with this coupon for Huggies Little Swimmers to get your own baby swimming along.
What's your favorite way to take part in water play with baby?
Huggies believes deeply in the Power of Hugs. That's why every Huggies diaper and wipe is inspired by parents' hugs. For nearly 40 years, Huggies has been helping parents provide love, care and reassurance to help babies thrive. No Baby Unhugged is Huggies promise to ensure babies get the care they need to thrive – from innovative everyday products, growing hospital hugger programs and specially-designed products for the tiniest of babies, to diapers and wipes donations. Huggies is the fastest growing diaper brand in hospitals and partners with NICU nurses to develop diapers and wipes that meet the specific needs of pre-term infants. For more information on Huggies No Baby Unhugged program visit the “Why Huggies?” page at Huggies.com.