What are the Diving Board Rules?

Everybody gets excited when they get to jump off the diving board but there are some rules to help keep everyone safe. Review these rules with your child to help keep them and everyone else safe while having a great time!

Diving Board Rules

1. One person on the diving board at a time
2. Do not climb up the ladder to the diving board until the person before you jumped off.
3. Do not jump backwards off the board.
4. Wait for the person in front of you to be at the side of the pool before jumping.
5. Do not jump off the diving board with any kind of floats (arm floaties, noodles, pool floats, etc.)
6. Only one bounce on the diving board. No jumping up and down several times.
7. Right after jumping off the diving board swim to the side of the pool right away.
8. Jump straight off the front of the diving board; do not jump off the sides.
9. WALK when going to the diving boards.

Be safe this summer and have a blast jumping off the boards!

The Importance of toys at lesson time

For a girl with no kids I have quite a few bath toys! It is important to have your child feel at ease in the early years of swimming.
Rubber duckies, boats, animals, etc can help them see something that is familiar to them while in a new environment. Here is what I keep in my collection:

• Rubber duckies
• Farm animals
• Rings (mostly for older kids to get but the babies and toddlers really like to hold them)
• Submarines and boats
• Ball Pitt Balls

I bought my toys at Walmart, Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us, and the Dollar Tree.

Fish and Fins Staff reporting for duty!

These little guys I got at Walmart. They are great for the babies under a year to keep their attention and to keep crying at a minimum. 

I got these farm animals at Buy Buy Baby. My "friends" are great at showing ages 3 and under how to blow bubbles. We all blow bubbles together and when they see Piggy blowing bubbles they want to blow bubbles too :)

You do not have to buy as many toys as I have to get your child interested in the pool. Bath toys from home are a great tool because they are already familiar with them. Even holding onto them while they are in the lesson helps ease their minds as they transition into future Olympic swimmers :)

Happy Toy Hunting!!!

Katelyn Green, CTRS
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
Water Safety Instructor

https://www.facebook.com/fishandfinsswimming

How do you protect your iPhone around the water?

As a swim teacher and a self proclaimed "phone addict" people ask me "How on earth do you keep you iPhone from getting wet and ruined?!

I have a phone case called Life Proof. It is water proof, dust proof, shock proof and spill proof. I have not had any problems with it. Granted you cannot just throw it across a room and expect nothing to happen but it does provide a lot of protection.

It has fun colors as well as accessories to help it adapt to your lifestyle.

• Floating  life jacket
• Car mount
• Running Arm Band
• Belt Clip
• Bike mount

Advantages:

• Water proof if a spill happens
• Water proof so you can take video/ pictures of your kids around the pool, sprinkler, lake, ocean, or any body of water without worrying about splashes
• Protective cover
• Thin so it fits into pockets or purses easily
• My non apple car charger fits the charger port with the case on. I do not have to take it off to charge my phone.

Disadvantages:

• It does have small items to keep up with
• Earphone cord- Since all openings are sealed you must have an extra cord to listen to headphones. 
• The charge port is also covered by a hinged door. If the hinge door is open when a spill occurs it is possible that water could enter the charge port.
• When the headphone jack does not have the headphones in you must keep the jack port closed with the small screw. The screw does not come off without you turning it but you must keep up with it while the headphones are in. I always put it in my wallet. The only time I use headphones are when I go for a run or when I workout.  

Overall I really love this product. I owned one when I had the iPhone 4S and I bought one when I got my iPhone 5. I personally have not had any trouble with it. I have had some friends say that their screen broke when it was dropped while in the lifeproof but no case is 100% protective. 

You can purchase this product on their website at: www.lifeproof.com

or you can purchase it in store at Best Buy. I bought mine at Best Buy and has been happy with it.

I have had an iphone for the last 6 years. I feel comfortable writing this review because I have used it first hand. I apologize if you have a different phone and this did not help you. If you find a case that is water proof for your phone you are more than welcome to write a review and I will share it on this blog for you.

Happy Phone Case Hunting!

Katelyn Green, Phone addict and Swim teacher :)

https://www.facebook.com/fishandfinsswimming

The Importance of the Back Float

Do you and your swimmer know the benefits of a back float? 

It can provide you with a good amount of time to REST when needed. Sometimes your swimmer will swim so much and not realize how tired he or she is getting. Getting into a back float can provide them with a good amount of time to rest, catch their breath, call out for help, or just catch some rays in the pool. See the photo below for proper back floating. Practice practice practice!

Here is a great photo of how to practice your back float with your swimmer!

Key things to remember when practicing:
1. Airplane arms
2. BIG Santa Claus tummy 
3. Legs together like a toy soldier
4 Head back to look at the clouds. (Make sure they really have their head back in the water. Their spine should be straight not curved at all at the neck) 

Thanks to my wonderful model, Devin!  Devin has been one of my swimmers since she was one and a half. She is now 4 years old.

Some tips while holding your child to make them comfortable:

• Use your shoulder as a "pillow". Have them rest their head while you hold their back close to their bottom. 
• For babies they make a V shape with their body because feel so uncomfortable but make sure you hold them tight and soon they will get the hang of it.
• Sometimes singing to your toddler while they practice the back float helps them feel comfortable. While they lay on your shoulder something soothing like their favorite song can do wonders to help calm them.
• Be patient with them. Floating is such an important skill to learn. The more you practice and remind them how important it is they will soon be floating on their own. 

GOOD LUCK!

May the float be with you :)

Katelyn Green, CTRS

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

Water Safety Instructor

https://www.facebook.com/fishandfinsswimming

Who is your Water Safety Instructor?

The goal of Fish and Fins Swimming is to teach your child how to properly swim in the water. We focus on survival skills at a young age and technique in each stroke for the older kids. Safety is Fish and Fins biggest concern is safety. This blog was started to give parents a place to ask questions about swimming and safety for their swimmers of any age.

Katelyn Green, CTRS

Katelyn Green is an American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor and a Certified Lifeguard. She has taught swimming lessons for over 9 years. Katelyn has taught swim lessons for Richard Sybesma, Coach of the TCU Swim Team, as well as Ridglea Pool Association and private lessons at her own home pool. Katelyn has been certified as a lifeguard since she was 15 years old. She is certified in First aid as well as CPR. Katelyn went to High School at Southwest Christian School in Benbrook, Texas and then attended Oklahoma State University. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. She is certified by the National Council of Therapeutic Recreation Certification and is a licensed Recreational Therapist. She is currently attending University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma and studying to receive her Masters in Family Child Studies and is pursuing her dream to be an infant child specialist.

Finn, the Fish, is the mascot of Fish and Fins Swimming School. He greets each swimmer at the door and gets them ready for their lesson :)

Follow us on facebook for more information about swim lessons, tips, and water safety!
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Matthew Clark was the amazing designer of our Fish and Fins Logo as well as creating the look of Finn. We thank him for his contribution! If you need anyone to create a logo for your business I would be more than happy to put you in contact with Mr. Clark.