Deep Water Jump and Tread
Jump into deep water, surface, tread for a count, then swim back to the side – entries and survival combined.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Water Safety, Jump Entry, Treading Water
- Equipment
- None, Noodle
- Age
- 7–99 years
- Group size
- 1–8 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Deep water: swimmers stay within reach of the wall or a helper, with a noodle or float ready.
- Check depth before any jump; one swimmer at a time.
What it develops
- Tread water for a short time
- Enter the water in different ways and return to the side
- Know how to stay safe and help others safely
- Tread water efficiently
- Controlled entries, including an introduction to diving
- Use floating and signalling for self-rescue
- Scull and tread water with control
- Apply self-rescue and water safety knowledge
- Tread water and scull efficiently for longer
- Combine aquatic skills in a sequence
- Water safety and rescue awareness
How to run it
- Check depth and a clear landing area.
- Jump in (pencil jump), surface and look for the side.
- Tread water for a count of 10.
- Swim back and exit.
Teaching cues
- Pencil jump.
- Surface, look for the side.
- Tread, then swim.
Make it easier
- Slide in instead of jumping.
- Noodle thrown after surfacing.
Make it harder
- Tread for 30 seconds and signal.
- Jump in wearing a T-shirt.
Common faults
- Panicking on surfacing.
- Swimming away from the side.
Corrections
- 'Look for the side as soon as you come up.'
- Practise treading at the wall first.
Assistant / L1 role
- Wait near the landing area (not in it) with a noodle ready.