Let’s push and glide to Floating Forest

The home of core aquatic skills

If you want to progress your core aquatic skills join Sculli in her home on an island of dense jungle, the Floating Forest.

Grab a thick branch you can use as a noodle; the beautifully clear water is the perfect place to float face down, blow a few bubbles and stare at the colorful fish. Sculli knows that core aquatic skills build safety, strength, and trust in the water. These essential skills form the building blocks of all future swimming success and we teach them in a way that’s fun, structured, and perfectly matched to each stage of development.

water babies teacher, mum and toddler swimming at splash cove

What are core aquatic skills?

Core aquatic skills are the fundamental movements and techniques every swimmer needs to feel confident and stay safe in the water. They include:

Water confidence and orientation
Floating and body position
Submerging and breath control
Kicking and propulsion
Rotation and turning
Entry and exit from the pool
Streamlining and gliding

These skills are crucial for developing good technique, learning strokes, and enjoying water-based activities safely and independently.

Why core aquatic skills matter

Build Water Confidence: Learning to trust the water early helps children feel relaxed and in control.
Improve Water Safety: These skills prepare children to stay safe in and around water, long before they’re strong swimmers.
Support Stroke Development: Core skills help children develop the correct body position, breathing, and movement for swimming strokes later on.
Encourage Lifelong Fitness: A confident start creates a positive relationship with water encouraging regular swimming for health and fun.

How we teach core aquatic skills by age

Babies & toddlers

0-3 years

We focus on gentle water exploration, bonding, and play-based movement. Through songs, games, and repetition, babies learn to float, move through water, and respond to cues. Skills like blowing bubbles, splashing, kicking, and safe submersion are introduced in a calm, reassuring environment.

test

Pre-school

3-5 years

At this age, we develop independence and coordination. Children learn how to float unaided, push and glide from the wall, turn in the water, and gain breath control. All of this is taught through imaginative play, with clear instructions and lots of encouragement to build confidence.

test

swimvincible student throwing a ball into the net

Primary age

5-10 years

Now we build on core skills with more technique-focused practice. Children improve their balance, streamlining, and breathing while learning how to control their movement in the water. These skills create the foundation for learning strokes like front crawl and backstroke with confidence.

test

Older children & teens

11+ years

We refine technique and focus on skill application; how to use core aquatic skills for safe swimming, endurance, and water sports. This stage includes work on treading water, diving, and efficient body positioning for competitive swimming or personal fitness.

test

Ready to make a splash?

Dive into unforgettable moments – book your Water Babies journey today!

Book a class now

Explore our Magical Islands

Embark on an exciting journey through our Oceans of Imagination, where kids learn to swim through adventure and exploration!

Are you ready to become Swimvincible? Your adventure starts now!

Discover four magical islands, each with a special purpose to teach core aquatic skills, swimming strokes, and water safety milestones.
Progress through the program, learning key swimming skills and collecting Water Babies Treasures along the way.
For our Swimvincible program, teachers will mark children’s progress in lessons covering water safety, core aquatic skills, swimming strokes and fun new quests! Collecting badges as they succeed throughout the program.