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Learn to swim at last!
That's how long they had to wait for it.
We are in the St. Pauli Bad in Hamburg.
Eleven children between the ages of five and eight dare to go into the water and listen eagerly to their swimming instructor.
How do you actually learn to swim?
Bernd Kröger-Preuß, swimming instructor “Bäderland Hamburg”
“Playful! Simply through a lot of elements from the children's world. In the beginning I made the musical instruments. Now I'm talking about shovels, playing the kettledrum with my legs. So simply diverse movements that the children are already familiar with, that simply take them into the water. Because the children can implement familiar things without fear. "
Even if that has nothing to do with swimming at first - one of Kröger-Preuss' favorite exercises revolves around trees.
Let the children imitate them and then dive in.
The point is to lose the fear or fear of the water in this way.
Bernd Kröger-Preuß, swimming instructor
»Everything is easy on land. But in water, another element, it is a different body feeling. And then I have to pay attention to each child whether the child can actually implement this feeling in the water. "
The children in the St. Pauli Bad have a lot of fun.
You will practice swimming and diving for a good ten weeks.
What do you like best?
Lena, 7 years old
"Everything, but most of the time slipping."
Liv, 7 years old
"Well, he's nice and we do great exercises with him too."
Question
"Why do you want to learn to swim?"
Kim, 5 years old
»Because then I can jump off the meter board. I want to put an ass bomb down then. "
The children's goal: to make their seahorse.
1.5 million in Germany could not do that during the pandemic last year.
How can you make up for that?
Bernd Kröger-Preuß, swimming instructor
“If a child has had a year of lack of exercise, then the parents - and these are the next ones who can do it and can provide it - would have to take three times the amount of exercise with the children that they did not have before was. And that is hardly feasible for parents these days. "
Therefore, in the opinion of Kröger-Preuß, the problem must be tackled systematically.
Bernd Kröger-Preuß, swimming instructor
"This is where the clubs are in demand, the institutions and politics."
We know from child and adolescent psychology that 80 percent of children do not achieve the minimum level of exercise recommended by the World Health Authority (WHO).
According to the DLRG, 60 percent of children in Germany were not safe in the water after primary school.
That means: You did not meet the requirement for a bronze swimming badge.
In addition, there are far too few opportunities to learn to swim.
Municipalities save, swimming pools are closed.
Bernd Kröger-Preuß, swimming instructor
»There have always been large waiting lists. Now there is a whole year on top. The waiting lists are getting longer. We just have to think about how we can simply make more time available to offer courses. "
The municipal swimming pool operator "Bäderland" will quadruple the offer in Hamburg in the summer months.
So on about 300 swimming courses by the end of August.
Public bathing is restricted for this.
Bernd Kröger-Preuß swimming instructor
»I'm in good spirits. I think we'll somehow manage that over the next few years. But first of all, of course, these children cannot swim per se. "
Parents in particular are relieved that their children are finally learning to swim.
Mother
"I didn't think about it for long. Somehow it's part of the child learning to swim."
Mother
»Because we spend a lot of time by the sea, spend a lot of holidays on the water and also like to go canoeing. You can't have your eyes everywhere. I long for the day when I just know that both children can swim. "
23 preschool and elementary school children died last year while bathing outdoors.
DLRG and the Association of German Swimming Instructors fear that this number will increase in the coming years due to the pandemic.
Kröger-Preuss appeals to the parents.
Bernd Kröger-Preuß swimming instructor
»Stand right next to you! Really stand by all the time! Knee-deep water is enough. I mean: knee-deep water for the children. You just have to be very careful. Children also quietly drown. You can't hear it. "
These eleven want to get the bronze swimming badge right after the seahorse. So that they can swim and dive properly - like the rest of the family.