Front Starfish
Wide, stable front float in a star shape – the easiest front float to balance.
- Stages
- Stage 1
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Buoyancy, Front Float
- Equipment
- Float, Noodle
- Age
- 4–99 years
- Group size
- 1–10 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Recap / Safe Exit
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Ensure recovery to standing is taught first.
What it develops
- Float on the front with support
- Return to standing from a float
How to run it
- Swimmers hold a noodle across the chest or a float in each hand.
- Take a breath, face in, and let arms and legs spread wide like a starfish.
- Hold still for a count of 5, blowing bubbles.
- Recover: knees to chest, press down with hands, feet down, stand.
Teaching cues
- Wide and relaxed.
- Face in, looking at the floor.
- Stay still – starfish don't wriggle.
Make it easier
- Assistant holds both hands and walks backwards.
- Hold the wall with the face out.
Make it harder
- No equipment.
- Starfish to pencil shape while floating.
Common faults
- Tensing the whole body.
- Lifting the head to breathe.
Corrections
- Ask for 'floppy starfish'.
- Keep the float short – 3 seconds is fine, then stand to breathe.
Assistant / L1 role
- Hold the swimmer's hands and walk backwards slowly, then gradually release to fingertips.