How to use your kids’ favorite animals for a fun swim lesson

Fact: Kids love to have fun. Most of them also really enjoy animals. Why not use this common knowledge to your advantage and get them to learn how to swim? Jumping in the water can be intimidating for little ones but, like clutching onto a favorite stuffed animal for courage, they might find comfort in knowing that they can swim like some of the beloved creatures of the land and sea. Here are three different swim styles that are shared by animals and humans alike. Have fun with them!

Like a fish in the water
Swimming like a fish is a pretty simple feat. Aside from breathing underwater, they maneuver the ocean and fish bowls just like humans. A simple tactic called the front crawl is exactly how it sounds. Start by stretching out in the water, with your face towards the pool, explained Swimming.org. Don't hold this position for too long – get to flapping! Move your outstretched arms and legs with your toes pointed, like a ballerina. Your legs should be doing most of the work here, kick them furiously but keep your ankles relaxed. 

As for the arms, it's one in front of the other. For proper technique, start with an arm pulled back to your thigh. Now keeping it straight, lift it back into the air and push it forward through the water, creating a full circle. Rotate your arms so that when one comes back to your thigh area, the other is reaching up toward the sky. Lift your head to the side with each stroke but keep it low to the pool to breathe. Keep kicking hard and you're doing it!

Do the doggy paddle
If you've ever seen a dog swim then you'd know that it's adorable and also effective. Most people's parents taught them the traditional doggy paddle during swimming lessons, why not pass on the technique that's old as time? This hilarious maneuver is pretty simple to instruct: Just act like a dog.

Start on your stomach with your chin raised above the water. Cup your hands as if they were paws. Push them in small circles under the water to paddle and kick your feet simultaneously. You're going to feel a lot of pressure in your arms for this one. Keep trying until you're successfully gliding across the water, just like your favorite characters in "Homeward Bound." 

For sea otters it's a lifestyle
Now if you really want to live the life, learn to swim like a sea otter. As National Geographic pointed out, these four-legged critters eat and sleep while they're floating on their backs. Teach your kids the backstroke, minus the mussel and clam feast! 

Get started by floating on your back in the water with your face towards the sun. Straighten out your legs and arms, and then it's one arm at a time. Swing an arm backwards and push through the water. Now, do the other one. Keep paddling your legs to propel you across the pool. According to Livestrong, it helps if you focus your eyes on one object that's nearby. This technique will keep you in a straight line. It's also a good idea to keep track of how many strokes you've completed, so you know when you're getting close to the pool wall. You don't want to bump your head!

Once you've got each animal's style down, turn it into a game. Call out an animal so your child switches to that type of swimming. This will help the two of you become more acquainted with the water and have a blast! Kid's feel comfortable knowing some of their favorite creatures also like to get in the pool.

Just don't keep your swimming hole as messy as the sea. Call your Fort Worth, San Diego or Phoenix pool service professionals for a cleaning.