Whats Special about our Mini levels

What's Special about our Mini's?

Children in our Mini Dolphin 4 and Mini Sharks fly & breaststroke are 5 to 7 year olds that are learning the technical side of all four strokes.

If you have a child in one of these levels you must understand your child is advanced for their age. If your child has started their learn to swim journey around the age of 6 weeks and has continued their learn to swim journey consistently we are seeing the trend of children making it to Mini Dolphin 4 by around the age of 4 or 5 years.

At this stage your child's swim progression will be very stop start due to the fact that their body is growing rapidly which will change their center of buoyancy frequently. It is important your child continues to swim through their growth spurts so they can rebalance and gain control of their body and stroke quickly. If a child takes a break at this stage their growth will effect their swimming ability when they return and they will end up going back one or two levels due to this.

Children at this stage of swimming are awesome to teach, they are usually really enthusiastic about swimming and the whole learning process. It is important that you find an instructor that will inspire and encourage your child to continue their learn to swim right to the end of the program. Once your child does make it to squad level we love for them to give squads a go for at least 1 term so that the movement required for a life long stroke is imprinted in their muscle memory.

Having a Mini Dolphin or Mini Shark makes family holidays so much fun. These kids are strong swimmers (although supervision of children in and around water is always encouraged) They can participate in most to all water sports and water play that you decide to partake in with little to no trouble.

Mini Dolphin 4's to progress will need to perform technical freestyle for 10 meters, this includes a side breath with correct breath control. They will also need to display technical backstroke for 10 meter which will include a shoulder roll, reach catch and pull, coordinating the legs at the same time. Keep in mind that these strokes are hard to master as both sides of the body do opposite things at the same time so it does take a fair bit of coordination.

 Mini Sharks breaststroke to progress need to perform technical Breaststroke. This will include correct pull which needs to stay in front of the chest keeping the elbows high. Correct kick, feet turned out and completing the kick in a glide. Timing correct, the breath should come just as the pull has started and face should be back in before the arms extend at the completion of the pull. For learn to swim Breaststroke we require a glide in the middle, so encourage your little one to count to two when in a torpedo position.

Mini Shark fly to progress children need to perform technical butterfly. At this age children usually do not have the strength to display a strong butterfly stroke and will not be able to keep the stroke going for long. All we require to see is everything in the correct spot for them to move up. Strength and stamina will come as they grow and the more they practice (squads will do this).

For Butterfly your child needs to push down under the chest, arms come up and around together with the thumbs pointing to the ground the whole recovery, a dolphin kick needs to be present and continuous (preferably a two beat kick, one at the start of the pull and one at the end of the pull).The breath for Butterfly needs to come as the arms are leaving the water for the recovery and the head needs to be back down before the arms touch the water again.

At these levels we recommend bumping up water time for your child to help progression, you must understand these skills are hard to master and the more time your child can practice the quicker their progression will be. This can be done by adding a 2nd lesson (30% discounts apply to 2nd) attend holiday programs when possible and or join in public hours and practice in your own time. More water time=a quicker progression

Congratulations on your child's swimming progression. You should be very proud to have a child in the Aquatots Mini levels. These kids are advanced for their age and can swim!

If you have any questions about your Mini's please feel free to ask our experienced supervisors for tips and tricks.