Bobbing is the ability to exchange air, blowing used air out and inhaling new air. This happens on its own (with no real effort) because of the natural vacuum created after exhale when the lungs are empty and new air automatically flows in.
How do you teach children to do this?
While hanging onto the side of the pool with both hands, children should take a good breath, inhaling through their mouths. They should then lower their faces and eventually the entire heads underwater.
While underwater, children should exhale through their mouths and noses and then bring their heads and faces back up out of the water to inhale through their mouths again.
This entire sequence should be done in a consistent rhythm without stopping the motion under or above water.
If children are stopping at the top to inhale, then they may not be exhaling fully underwater.
If they have trouble exhaling through their noses underwater, suggest they hum before going under.
The exhaling portion of bobbing is longer in duration than the inhaling portion. Once comfortable doing this holding on to the side with both hands, have the children try it with one hand. Eventually work for the children doing this without holding onto the side at all – simply bouncing off of the bottom of the pool. You can even use a noodle to help in this one-hand to no-hands transition.
Why is this an important skill for children to learn?
When children go under unexpectedly or fall into water accidentally, it is important for them to know how to exhale underwater and to inhale when they reach the top so that they can sustain themselves until they reach the poolside or an adult reaches them to help.
Without this skill, children can quickly feel they can’t breathe and become frantic in the water. Remaining calm is one of the most important things for children to be able to do to stay safe if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation in the water.
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