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When you have a child with support needs, new activities and transitions can be a significant challenge. Changes to their routine or introducing them to an unfamiliar environment can cause anxiety or sensory overload. So, when my son’s school announced their Water Safety Week, I knew it was crucial to prepare him well in advance.
It’s not just about getting your child used to the water—it’s about helping them understand the routine, manage sensory experiences, and feel secure in the new environment. Here’s what we did to set him up for success.
1: Reintroducing Swimming Lessons
We hadn’t been to swimming lessons in almost two years. With a schedule that looks like—school, speech therapy, occupational therapy, business, family life, and throw in a bit of psychology, physiotherapy, and feeding therapy here and there—it was just one of those things that fell to the side. And honestly, that’s okay. Life can be busy, and we’re all doing the best we can.
Knowing Water Safety Week was coming, though, I decided to get my son back into the water. Here’s what we focused on:
Building Familiarity with the Water: Reintroducing the pool setting helped my son get comfortable being fully submerged and engaging in basic water safety skills.
Muscle Tone and Sensory Regulation: Swimming lessons aren’t just about the water—they also help with developing muscle tone, coordination, and sensory regulation.
Following Instructions: Reintroducing the pool gave us a safe place to work on listening to instructions from someone other than me, his teachers and regular therapists.
2: Talking About the Transition
Communication is so important for helping kids feel secure, especially when there’s a big change coming up. We took time to talk about the upcoming Water Safety Week and what it would involve. Here’s how we approached it:
Discuss the Experience Early and Often: We talked about swimming lessons, what would happen, and what Water Safety Week at school might look like. This regular conversation helps to normalise the idea and reduce anxiety.
Create a Social Story: I collaborated with my son’s occupational therapist to create a social story with images of the pool, the changing areas, and key places he would visit. These visual aids allow him to get comfortable with the idea and the environment before even stepping foot there.
3: Collaborating with Our Occupational Therapist
It wasn’t just about getting in the water; there were many other details to consider, like dressing in bathers, dealing with wet clothes, and navigating an unfamiliar location. Here’s how we tackle those aspects:
Breaking Down the Dressing Routine: With our occupational therapist, we made a plan for each part of getting changed—putting on bathers, dealing with wet clothes, drying off, and changing back into regular clothes. Breaking it down into smaller tasks made it easier for my son to understand and manage each step.
Booking a Session at the Swimming Pool: We scheduled an occupational therapy session at the same pool where Water Safety Week would take place. This let my son explore the venue in a low-pressure situation, helping him to feel more at ease on the actual day.
tips from one mum to another on Preparing for New Experiences
If you’re facing a similar situation or preparing your child for an upcoming transition, here are some steps that have helped us:
Start the Conversation Early: Introduce the new activity into your daily conversations well in advance. Repetition helps children become more comfortable with the idea.
Use Visual Aids: Consider using social stories or creating a visual schedule to help your child visualise what’s coming.
Plan with Your Support Network: Collaborate with your child’s therapists or educators to address potential challenges ahead of time. They may have insights or resources you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.
Finally, every new experience comes with challenges, but seeing your child grow, adapt, and thrive makes it all worth it. If you’re a parent navigating similar transitions, know that you’re doing an amazing job. It takes time, effort, and patience, but together we can help our kids feel confident and secure.
If you found these tips helpful, or if you’re preparing your child for a similar experience, let me know in the comments! And if you know another parent who could use these insights, share this post with them. Let’s support each other on this journey. 💙 * A special thank you to our OT Georgia from Tortoise & Hare Health who is always too happy to help, and to the team at Marion Outdoor Pools for answering my 50 questions :)
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