Toddlers made famous for swim skills on YouTube show value of learning to swim early

Elizabeth Christensen looks like a typical toddler. With cherubic cheeks and tiny hands she’s just old enough to walk, but in the water she can do something incredible: at only 16 months old she swims across a pool unassisted.

Her video Baby Swims Across Pool garnered massive hits on YouTube when it was first posted online in 2012, and her parents have been charting her swimming progress online ever since. With a blog, Facebook page, and YouTube channel, they showcase their daughter’s (and now their son Isaac’s) swimming lessons as they’re taught by an Infant Resource Swimming instructor (ISR).

Amanda Christensen, the children’s mother, was introduced to ISR during a child development class in college. As a long time swimming teacher herself, she was amazed by the ISR techniques and decided that when she had kids she’d have them learn from an ISR instructor.

“ISR teaches both the swim and the float which enables those that are developmentally and physically able to get to the side of the pool and exit the pool,” says Sheri Phillips, a ISR Instructor who has worked with the Christensen family.

It also teaches infants who can’t manage to exit the pool on their own to roll onto their backs, so they can breath until help arrives.

“It is very important in that initial learning sets in,” says Phillips about the significance of starting swimming lessons early. “The sooner a child learns a skill the more apt he is to turn to that skill in need. Also accidents happen at any age – before walking, crawling, etc.”

The Christensens introduced Elizabeth and Isaac to the pool as babies and had them working with an ISR instructor at 15 months and 10 months old respectively. They knew they were giving their kids an important life-saving skill, which made starting them at such a young age an easy choice.

“With both kids, they reached a certain point and we felt they were ready for it,” says Christensen. “Sometimes hearing them cry during lessons was sad, but we didn’t regret it.”

The Christensens, who live in Phoenix, Ariz., hope that their YouTube videos show parents everywhere what their own kids are capable of and to get in the pool with them.

“We hope that the videos will encourage parents to get in and play with their kids. Children can do so many amazing things when their parents are there to support them,” says Christensen. “We also hope the videos can show kids what it looks like to swim underwater and remove that fear of the unknown. When we wanted to teach Elizabeth a new skill, we found a video of a child doing it. Most of the time, she expressed excitement to go try it. This same method helps our more cautious son, Isaac, feel more comfortable with trying something.”

According to the Canadian Red Cross, approximately 525 people die annually in water-related fatalities. In a country covered with lakes and rivers, water safety and swimming lessons are a necessary life saving skill.

Peel Region lifeguard and swimming instructor, Lindsey Reid, says infants as young as 12 weeks can be introduced to the water, however some swimming pools have a 6 month age requirement for lessons with an instructor.

“Try to be as relaxed as you can with your reaction when swimming with your infant/toddler. Remember your reaction stimulates their reaction,” says Reid, who has been teaching swimming lessons for 17 years. “Keep swimming upbeat and fun including lots of toys and songs to sing, the more bubbles the better. Infants love to imitate, so make sure you lead by example, get wet and have fun. Try and keep face-to-face contact as being at their level will build more comfort and security. We want them to have a good experience so when they start to get cold or tired it’s time to dry off.”

Parents considering infant swimming lessons might be concerned about the effects a public pool might have on their child’s sensitive skin. Reid says salt water is found to be a bit gentler on skin, hair, and bathing suits, but even salt water pools have a degree of chlorine. And she points out that chlorinated pools are much better at clearing up bacteria in the water, so although salt water may be gentler, it may not be as clean.

Parent-to-parent tips: Advice from Amanda and Adam Christensen on introducing kids to swimming

• Make it fun: Get in the pool and just play together. It is okay if you don’t know all the skills. Most children will naturally develop a lot of them on their own as they explore and gain confidence.
  

• Make it family time: Make swimming quality time. Hold your child and help them experience the sensation of being in the water. Blow bubbles together. Sing silly songs. Laugh at something they think is funny. Get interested about something they are looking at. Spending quality time with Mom or Dad while in the water is a sure way to make swimming a positive experience.
  

• Encourage their curiosity: When you see them get curious or want to try something let them! You will be right there to help if they get in over their head. This includes letting them fall in the pool. They won’t panic unless you do. If they fall in, let them experience the sensation for a second or two, then bring them back up and praise them like crazy for being so brave.
  

• Don’t rely on floatation devices: Stay away from floaties or flotation devices. These items give children a false sense of security in the water. Most flotation devices teach a child to stay vertical in the water (which is a sure way to sink). Once the child knows how to swim it’s okay to let them have fun with them every once in a while but if they don’t know how to swim just keep them away. They give kids a skewed perception of buoyancy and confidence in the water. If they ever get into deep water without floaties, they will likely sink immediately because they will not have had the experience to move in the water without floating. Obviously, when on a boat or in the ocean, a life jacket would be a good idea, but it still is no substitute for being with your child.