Flemish water familiarisation approach recognised as a European best practice

Flemish Swimming Federation (Zwemfed) and European Aquatics have announced a collaboration to support families across Europe in water familiarisation and early swimming education. Zwemfed’s booklet, “Making a splash towards water fun!”, will be translated and distributed by European Aquatics to national swimming federations, recognising the Flemish approach as a European best practice.

The booklet is part of Zwemfed’s “The First Water Adventure” project, which helps parents guide young children through their first experiences in water. The initiative addresses a key challenge: long waiting lists for swimming lessons, combined with limited parental guidance on early preparation.

It provides practical, accessible information on water familiarisation and essential pre-swimming skills, including floating, submerging, balance, and interacting with water resistance. Parents are encouraged to build these skills through simple, playful exercises at home, which can later be continued in the pool.

European Aquatics will integrate the booklet into its European Toolkit, a resource supporting federations in developing safe, high-quality learn-to-swim pathways.

The initiative aligns with Zwemfed’s #EverybodySwims campaign, promoting early water familiarisation and lifelong swimming participation. By distributing the booklet across Europe, both organisations aim to ensure that every child can learn to engage with water safely, confidently, and with enjoyment.

For more detailed information

Silvia Costa, European Aquatics ASR Manager
silviacosta@europeanaquatics.org

Morganne Lambrechts, Innovation | Swim School & Pool Policy
morganne.lambrechts@zwemfed.be

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