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SUPPORTED BACK FLOAT TO WALL

Teach children to move from a supported back float to the pool wall, building essential water safety and orientation skills.

Focus Core & Trunk
Environment Community or therapy pool with clear access to shallow and deep-water safety exits
Pool Depth Partially Suspended
Supervision Required
Equipment None

How to Perform

  1. Support the child in a gentle back float a short distance from the pool wall with the head near your shoulder and body extended.
  2. Show the child where the wall is and cue them to look toward it while you support under the shoulders or upper back.
  3. Ask the child to make small kicking movements with the legs while you guide the body slowly toward the wall.
  4. Encourage the child to reach one or both hands back to feel and then hold the wall once they are close enough.
  5. Assist the child to transition from floating into a secure hold at the wall or to a standing position on the floor.

Key Execution Cues

Remember: Keep the body long and relaxed, kick gently toward the wall, and reach back to grab the edge as soon as it can be felt.

Safety & Precautions

Important: Use caution with high anxiety around floating or history of aspiration; keep mouth and nose close to the surface and never force immersion.

Additional Safety Notes: Stay in close contact under the head and shoulders, avoid sudden movements that could submerge the face, and keep the path free of obstacles.

Exercise Modifications

Make it Harder (Progressions)

Reduce the amount of manual support, increase the starting distance slightly, or let the child initiate the turn toward the wall independently.

Make it Easier (Regressions)

Start very close to the wall, provide more trunk and head support, or practice just reaching for the wall from a semi-floating position.

Audience

Child

Therapeutic Notes

Pediatric swimming and water safety training for children with disabilities

Clinical Conditions

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Down Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy

Modality

  • Individual
  • Group

Benefits

Improved floating confidence, Better orientation toward safety points, Increased independence in reaching the wall, Enhanced trunk and leg coordination

Muscles Worked

  • core
  • back
  • hips
  • shoulders
  • arms

Equipment Needed

No equipment required - just you and the water!

When to Use

  • Skill development

Exercise Tags

water safety back float orientation children Core & Trunk

Attribution

Source TypePDF
Original AuthorAnna Ogonowska-Slodownik et al.
ContributorAI Extraction Agent
PublicationAquatic Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Scoping Review
LicenseCC BY 4.0
Credit RequiredYes
Date Created2025-11-30
Last Modified2025-11-30
Original URLhttps://doi.org/10.3390/children11111404

External Source

TypePDF
URLhttps://doi.org/10.3390/children11111404
Additional InfoWater safety drill reflecting focus on core aquatic skills, floating, and reaching safety points in pediatric aquatic therapy.