At first, the idea of baths was not well received, but bubbles and warm water changed Bentley's mind. Then last year, while in ELC he had "swimming lessons" several time. Playing in water seems naturally fun! Still, he was not keen on the idea of swimming in a pool. So we introduced two strategies: (1) water wings and (2) holding his breath.
Water wings, as every water safety person will tell you, are dangerous because they can puncture -or- they can slip off when children jump in the water. Still, as every parent will tell you, they are a great aid and kids enjoy the freedom when using them. So Bentley uses them under direct parental supervision.
Holding his breath is a different plan. My rationale is that if he is comfortable holding his breath and briefly staying under water, then trying to keep his head above the surface will not induce so much panic. The strategy is so effective that he requires a lot of diligence since he happily enjoys going under water - even though he lacks the skills to propel himself effectively in any direction
