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Social Story for Swimming Lessons
A swimming lessons social story helps a child know what will happen before they get to the pool, which is often the part that worries them most. A pool is loud, echoey and cold at first, and there is a stranger in the water asking them to put their face in. Knowing the steps ahead of time takes a lot of the surprise out.
The story below goes through a first lesson in order: the changing room, meeting the teacher, sitting on the edge, getting in, blowing bubbles and kicking. It doesn’t pretend the water isn’t cold, and nobody has to put their whole face in on day one. Free to read aloud, or make one with your child in it.
What will happen, in order
- Swimsuit and towel in the bag
- Meet the teacher
- Sit on the edge, feet in
- Blow bubbles, kick, float
- Warm towel, all done
Read the steps together in the daytime, more than once. The free printable below has these steps at the top and the bedtime story underneath.
Zoe’s First Swimming Lesson
A free story to read aloud tonight
On Saturday morning, Zoe packed her swimming bag: her purple swimsuit, her goggles, and the big striped towel. Her tummy felt fizzy. She had never had a swimming lesson before.
The pool building was big and warm and smelled like swimming pools always smell. Voices echoed off the walls. In the changing room, Dad helped her put on her swimsuit, and they put her clothes in a locker with a key on a stretchy band.
Her teacher was called Coach Sam. He was already in the water, and he waved. “First,” he said, “we sit on the edge and put our feet in.” Zoe sat down. The water was cold. She kicked her feet and made a splash.
Then Coach Sam held out his hands, and Zoe slid into the shallow water, where her feet could touch the bottom. It was cold for a minute, then it wasn’t. They practiced blowing bubbles, just mouth in the water, bloop bloop bloop. Then they held on to the side and kicked.
At the end, Coach Sam held her while she lay on her back and looked up at the ceiling. “You’re floating,” he said. Zoe didn’t put her face all the way in, not yet. Coach Sam said that was fine. Next week, maybe.
Afterwards, the striped towel was warm and fluffy, and Dad bought her a pretzel. That night, Zoe was sleepy all the way to her toes. In bed, she floated on her back, just like in the pool, and fell asleep.
Read it a few nights running rather than on the morning of. Familiarity is the part that works. The aim is that by the day itself, none of it is new.
My child is scared of swimming lessons. What helps?
Telling them exactly what will happen, visiting the pool first if you can, and letting them go at their own pace usually helps. Most teachers of young children start with sitting on the edge and blowing bubbles, not putting the whole face in.
What should we bring to a first swimming lesson?
A swimsuit, a towel, goggles if they like them, and something warm to put on after. Check with the pool for their own rules, like swim caps or swim diapers for little ones.