The dreaded pool noodle.
It’s a staple in the swim culture, and it attracts children like a fly to a fire, with its colorful lustre and soft (almost chewy) consistency. Flimsy and fun, they are mostly used for play, as a prop for games, or most commonly to lounge about and relax while floating around.
But that’s where its usefulness ends. Because the noodle is not, i repeat the noodle IS NOT a swimming a tool. It serves virtually no purpose in swimming lessons (with very few exceptions that we will outline later). There are several reasons why a noodle does more harm than good, when it comes to swim lessons:
A noodle discourages independence. It does all the work. A child can float on the noodle without moving or using their arms and legs.
It discourages proper body positioning. When placed commonly under the armpits, the buoyancy of the noodle forces the body into a vertical position, when learning to swim is a horizontal affair.
note the vertical body position with legs down
It creates dependence on swim aids. Especially with non-swimmers, using any swim aid too often creates a reliance on them.
It looks unprofessional. Anyone can give a kids a noodle. But in a swim lesson, the constant use of a pool noodle – especially for non-swimmers – does not demonstrate the type of perseverance and rise-to-the-challenge-ness that is expected of a capable swim instructor.
Now there are a few uses for noodles in a swim lesson. But I urge you take these with a grain of salt. For end-of-lesson games or rewards it’s a great idea. When learning to kick on the back, properly placing a noodle under the mid-back can help teach body proper body position on the back – it’s important to note here that using a flutter board for the same purpose has much better results. Finally, to practice breaststroke arms or general breaststroke timing the use of a noodle can be helpful, but again with moderation. If used effectively for one of these exercises, the use of a noodle in a swim lesson should utilize no more than 2-3 minutes at most, even for the most fearful non-swimmer.
Indeed, the noodle is a far more effective floating aid than a swim lesson aid. But even then, the noodle is no substitute for proper floating or lifesaving aids (namely the life jacket). Leaving your non-swimmer on a noodle and assuming they are safe in the pool is a big nono.
So then why are noodles so darn popular? They are useless in a swim lesson and they are not a lifesaving device. The simple answer: they’re inexpensive and fun. For less than $5 (I’ve even seen them for $1 in off season!), you can secure a fun, colorful toy that will entertain your kids for hours.
Buyer beware.
