Back in April I told you all how we had been accepted as part of the SwimWays Swim Team and explained a little about their Swim Steps program. My kids started off in Step 2, since they had been introduced to the water and were "ready to paddle and splash". We received two of the Step 2 products, the Swim Sweater and the Swim Vest, for both Rylie and Bryce.
Last month we got started with the Swim Sweaters, which helped my kids build some confidence when in the water. They quickly learned that when they were wearing the Swim Sweaters, they were able to balance themselves and paddle around the water without going under. The Swim Sweaters worked wonderfully for both of my kids!
This month we tried out the Swim Vests. The vests have sturdy foam inserts to provide balanced floatation, and a strap that goes between the child's legs to keep these inserts around their mid-sections where they need to be positioned.
Once Rylie had mastered her Swim Sweater, I explained that the Swim Vest would give her a little more freedom of movement in the water, and she was excited to try it out.
The Swim Vest allowed her to get more into a swimming position, rather than being upright like she was in the Swim Sweater. It didn't take long for her to get the hang of it, and she was swimming around in no time.
After a few weekends of using the Swim Vest, she seemed to be more comfortable in the water. She was learning the correct swimming position with her vest on, and then finally got up the courage to take it off. Brian held her hands out in front of her while she kicked her feet.
Apparently the Swim Vest helped her build her courage up more than I knew. A few weekends ago we were at our friends' house and when I went out to the pool area I saw the vest lying on the ground next to her as she was getting ready to jump in.
I couldn't believe it! Up until that day, there is NO WAY Rylie would have jumped in the water with no floatation device. With just a little bit of encouragement from her dad, she decided to take the leap!
Even though she had finally conquered her fear of going under water, she is still somewhat fearful of actually swimming, so she is still practicing with her vest on. She jumps in and is completely submerged, but the Swim Vest allows her to pop right back up with ease and then she can swim to the other side of the pool...all by herself!
I am beyond impressed with how quickly Rylie is learning how to swim. I think the Swim Vest is a great tool for kids to learn the correct positioning to swim, and it was great for Rylie because it gave her the confidence she needed to get over her fear of the water. She will soon be moving on to Step 3!
As for Bryce, well, he still swims in his Swim Sweater. He has mastered balancing himself in that, and pretty soon we will try out his Swim Vest. But until then, he is having a blast kicking and paddling around the pool in the Swim Sweater.
We even took our SwimWays gear to the beach with us last weekend. It gave me a little peace of mind and allowed my kids to splash around without me having to hold them.
Are you teaching your kids how to swim this summer? Swimways recently launched a new website, specifically created to aid in the development of children’s swimming. Make sure you check out Teach Me To Swim for tip sheets and facts about learning to swim.
Splash into summer with savings! Visit SwimWays to find out which Swim Step is right for your child, and then download a coupon for $2 off the purchase of any two SwimWays products!
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I have been selected as a SwimWays Ambassador for the 2012 summer season, and will be receiving products at no cost during the program.
10 comments:
Love the swim vest's! I will have to look into purchasing one for my big guy!
Thanks for the review and cute picture's of your kidos! :)
Wow she is doing awesome. Zoe used a swim vest last year but is using her floaties this year. She has had them off tons of times. I too am impressed with her swimming this year.
I should get my daughter one of these vests. She has the swimmies that go on her arms. I think she would feel more secure with something like this.
I remember my sister having one of those rings. It helped A LOT with her confidence! Yay for your kiddos!
Oh my gosh what great timing to read this review post! Yesterday my daughter took her 8 month old into the pool for the first time and she LOVED it! I was so surprised as all 6 of my kids were kind of fearful for the first couple of years. I am sure this grandchild for sure will be getting some of their products! We had 3 grandkids born in 2011 so will have to tell all the parents about these swim products. Thanks for showing us this company and great pictures and video to show the real thing. Makes me more apt to trust a good review when you see them in use like that!
It's wonderful to see and read her progress through fear - you are setting a fantastic example!!
how amazing! water makes me so nervous with the little ones. It is so important to teach them how to swim!
thanks for the tips, i have a 7 month old so im not there yet, but i will be and i want to teach her how to swim SUPER early.. since we have a pool
I really want my daughter to put my grandson in for swimming lessons. So important they learn. You never know if an accident would happen so best they learn young Good job Riley
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