Many children are scared of going into deep water and dislike being splashed. Sharing one of these stories about children learning to swim and overcoming their fears may help your child come to terms with their own worries.
Topsy and Tim learn to swim
by Jean Adamson and Gareth Adamson
Going to the swimming pool for the first time can be daunting but Topsy and Tim are having fun. This book lets you follow the twins on their adventures as they have lessons, learn to swim without their armbands and take part in a swimming competition.
Age: 3+
Be brave little penguin
by Giles Andreae
Little Penguin Pip-Pip would love to join in with all his friends swimming in the sea, but there’s just one problem – he’s scared of water. Can Pip-Pip overcome his fears and finally take the plunge? This irresistible story shows that sometimes all it takes is a little bit of encouragement – and a whole lot of heart – to finally make that leap!
Age: 3+
Maisy learns to swim
by Lusy Cousins
Maisy’s a little nervous – today she is going on her very first swimming lesson. There’s lots of hustle and bustle in the changing room and the pool looks SO big and it’s ever so splish-splashy! Luckily, Eddie and Tallulah have come along too and they all have a great swimming teacher called Poppy, the hippo. Everyone has lots to learn, including floating, kicking and blowing bubbles, but it’s a LOT of fun!
Age: 2+
How Billy Hippo learned to swim
by Vivian French
Billy Hippo hates water. It’s too cold! Too scary! Too wet! And swimming? No thanks. He doesn’t want to try – not even when his whole family do their best to persuade him that it’s fun. It takes two cheeky frogs and a big surprise to change Billy’s mind.
Age: 4+
Swim, Little Wombat, swim!
by Charles Fuge
Little Wombat is excited. He’s found a new friend to play with who walks strangely, has a funny little face and, most amazingly of all, can swim like a fish in the water! But when Platypus tries teaching Little Wombat to swim, Rabbit and Koala begin to wonder if wombats should stick to dry land!
Age: 4+
Let’s go swimming!
by Caryl Hart and Lauren Tobia
Today let’s go – swimming! Billy and Bee wriggle into their swimsuits quickly, because there’s so much fun to be had – jumping, splashing, kicking, playing pirates and, finally, floating on their backs like giggly, squiggly starfish! Gorgeously illustrated, this is a bouncy celebration of a first pool experience, perfect for reading with a toddler learning, or about to learn, how to swim.
Age: 1+
Albi learns to swim
by Mikko Kunnas and Markus Majaluoma
Albi the snowman lives in his cosy little castle in a beautiful magical frozen land where the snow never melts. One bright day, as he falls asleep in his armchair, he dreams about going to a faraway beach with his friends. Can a snowman learn how to swim? He finds so many exciting things to do by the seaside, there’s no end to his adventures.
Age: 3+
Eric Makes a Splash
by Emily Mackenzie
Eric is invited to a pool party and starts to worry about his fear of swimming. Luckily a friend is on hand to show him just how brave he is.
Age 3+
Mrs Pepperpot learns to swim
by Alf Prøysen
Mrs Pepperpot has a problem – a huge problem – she shrinks. And when she shrinks she finds herself in all sorts of trouble. Mrs Pepperpot is determined to practise her swimming so when all the village children go for a picnic in the mountains she goes to the pool in the wood. But disaster strikes.
Age: 5+
George Goes Swimming
by Nicola Smee
George goes to the swimming pool and learns to swim with the help of his mummy – and some armbands.
Age: 2+
Lulu’s holiday
by Caroline Uff
This simple story has large, bright illustrations that incorporates the use of sun cream on a trip to the beach.
Age: 3+
Useful Organisations
RNLI:
Activity packs to help young people stay safer when they’re near the water – whether at the coast, or inland by rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs.
Hampshire Libraries 