Believe it or not, helping children conquer their fear of the water is the hardest part of teaching them to swim. After the children learn to relax in the water, the rest is relatively easy to teach, with the exception of the last step, breathing to the side.
The first step after conquering the fear of the water is floating. Begin teaching this activity by having the children turn around and grab the step, lying prone with their legs out behind them. Usually, they can leave their heads up and still feel their legs floating. When, they get used to the feeling of floating, get them to put their faces in the water until you count to five. Gradually increase the time until they can leave their faces in the water to ten. Then, get them to turn around, put their hands on your hands, and slowly pull them around the water. Again, try to get them to put their faces in the water for five to ten seconds. Hint: Make a contest. See who can leave his/her face in the longest.
When they have mastered this step, let them stand on the step, put their faces in the water and push off to you. At this point, they will be doing a front float. When they get comfortable with this step, ask them to add an easy little kick with it. Hint: If they are kicking correctly, they are barely bending their knees. Their feet should flutter through the water. They should not beat the water with their legs.
Now, that they can float on their front, it is time to work on the back. The back floats frighten most children, so again, be patient and don't force them. Begin teaching them by letting them lie in your arms. Support their head and feet. Ask them to pretend they are lying in their bed. Talk to them and ask them to look up at the sky and tell you what shapes they see in the clouds. Then, when they are comfortable, see if they can lie on their backs until you count to five. Then, gradually increase the time to 20 seconds. You should encourage them to keep their tummies up like Santa Clause and their chins back. Tell them that you are going to let go of their legs, but continue to hold their heads. When they are comfortable with that, try letting go of their heads for a few seconds. Always warn them before you let go. Don't surprise them. Hint: Remember some children will not float as well as others. Buoyancy is determined by body fat. A child who is very thin or muscular may have a tendency to sink. If they sink on the back float, they can move their arms and legs to help them stay afloat. Hint: If you have a life vest, you may want to begin teaching them by letting them float on their backs in the vest, just to give them a chance to adapt to the feeling.