Float to Rest Positions
Swimmers try different ways to float and rest – star, vertical, tucked (HELP position) – and discuss when each helps.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Buoyancy, Back Float, Water Safety
- Equipment
- None, Noodle
- Age
- 6–99 years
- Group size
- 1–14 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Recap / Safe Exit
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Watch for swimmers getting cold during still floats.
What it develops
- Know how to stay safe and help others safely
- Use floating and signalling for self-rescue
- Float and rest to save energy
- Apply self-rescue and water safety knowledge
- Survival floating and energy saving
- Water safety and rescue awareness
How to run it
- Star float on the back for 20 seconds.
- Vertical float: lean back slightly, arms out, gentle sculling.
- Tucked float: knees to chest, arms hugging (keeps warm).
- Discuss which was easiest and why.
Teaching cues
- Lean back, relax.
- Breathe slowly.
- Small movements only.
Make it easier
- Noodle under the knees.
- Shorter holds.
Make it harder
- Float in a T-shirt.
- Tucked float while treading water briefly between.
Common faults
- Head lifting.
- Tensing up.
Corrections
- 'Ears in, tummy up.'
- Slow counting helps swimmers relax.
Assistant / L1 role
- Keep time for each float and note which position each swimmer found easiest.