How do you teach this?

[blondeviolin]

My 6yo cannot pump a swing. I recall learning sometime between K and 1st. My husband (who is very pro-homeschool) feels like she hasn't learned because she's not in school and forced to pump if she wants to swing. I'd like to teach her, but it's very frustrating for her and she easily gives up.

[Mrs Mungo]

I would give them a push, then say "kick your legs out, kick back, kick out, kick back." I taught them how to shift their body weight and pull the swing as they went back.

[Mélie]

I remember being told as a kid to move my legs back and forth, but no one ever told me to lean my body back and forward, so I'm sure it took longer to learn than was necessary. I taught my boys by sitting in the swing next to them and demonstrating - lean back and straighten legs, lean forward and bend them. I got them to do the motion while the swing was stationary, then I'd give them a push to get started. My 4 year old still has trouble getting started on his own, but he can keep himself going if his brother or I push him to start.

[Guest]

My dd taught herself when she was 4. My ds (7) still won't do it and doesn't like to swing. I'd say if it's frustrating, leave it alone. There is enough frustrating things that these little kids are learning. My $.02, coming from a mom who stressed about this and finally let go. :)

[2girls4us]

I don't think that her not knowing has anything to do with not being in PS. Many, many schools don't even have swings anymore.

 

My girls learned by watching DH or me swing.:D

[marbel]

My daughter couldn't do it for a long time. I tried to explain it to her but it's hard to explain, isn't it? Finally one day she just got it, maybe age 7 or so. She's always been homeschooled but I don't know how being in school would make a difference. After about age 6 I wouldn't push her anymore.

[mom2samlibby]

I don't know if you can "teach" it. I think it's something that they have to learn by doing and figure out on their own. It takes practice. They have to figure out how to make their body move to make the swing move.

[SpecialClassical]

Hmmm, I think the comments about body position and demonstrating might be key for a kid that doesn't get it. Good ideas.

[JenneinCA]

My kids were 8,6, and 7 when they figured out how to pump a swing. I had tried all the usual stuff and nothing helped until it just worked.

 

I doubt being in public school would have made the process any easier, they just needed the body coordination to pump the swing and it took time to get there. I did push all of them until they figured it out. Feeling the motion of the swing and how to move your body to keep it in motion is part of the process of learning. If I hadn't pushed I don't think they would ever have figured it out on their own.

[Susan in KY]

I stood in front of my dc and held up my hands. I had them lean back and when the soles of their feet hit my hands I told them to sit up and tuck their feet. When they were at the opposite side of the pendulum, I told them to lean back again (and that meant to stick their feet out to touch my hands), and repeated. Every time their feet hit my hands I gave a little shove to help keep the momentum. They both learned quickly, and I even taught a couple other kids at the park this way, too. :)

 

It sounded something like this, "Lean baaaaaaaaack (thump as their feet hit my hands), sit up! Lean baaaaaaack (thump!) sit up! Lean baaaaaack (thump!) sit up!" It worked here, anyway.

[LMD]

Ha! My 5 y/o DS doesn't get it and it is infuriating! I think that it's something they have to 'feel', the movement of their bodies in motion with the swing. My DD 7y/o can mostly do it, so sometime between 5 & 7? Good luck!

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I stood in front of my dc and held up my hands. I had them lean back and when the soles of their feet hit my hands I told them to sit up and tuck their feet. When they were at the opposite side of the pendulum, I told them to lean back again (and that meant to stick their feet out to touch my hands), and repeated. Every time their feet hit my hands I gave a little shove to help keep the momentum. They both learned quickly, and I even taught a couple other kids at the park this way, too. :)

 

It sounded something like this, "Lean baaaaaaaaack (thump as their feet hit my hands), sit up! Lean baaaaaaack (thump!) sit up! Lean baaaaaack (thump!) sit up!" It worked here, anyway.

All mine learned around 5 with similar instructions. But even with the instructions, until they felt the actual pull and give of the swing the rhythm was erratic. Eventually it clicks.

[IsabelC]

If the only hole in your child's education is being unable to swing on her own, can I say that you are doing an awesome job! :D

 

If she wants to do it, she'll get it eventually. But there are a few people who just aren't that keen on it. I still love swinging as an adult (the playground sort!) and my second daughter, who is most like me, taught herself to do it at 3, whereas I think her sister was closer to 5.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

My 6yo cannot pump a swing. I recall learning sometime between K and 1st. My husband (who is very pro-homeschool) feels like she hasn't learned because she's not in school and forced to pump if she wants to swing. I'd like to teach her, but it's very frustrating for her and she easily gives up.

 

Well, when my ds2 was in public kindergarten, he still didn't figure out how to pump. I was a lunch mom on several occasions, so I know that my son witnessed other kids pumping, and still couldn't figure it out. It took him several months of trying on his own at home to really get the hang of it. I had explained and demonstrated many times for him, but until he really let go of "trying" and just let it happen naturally, he wasn't able to do it.

[GoVanGogh]

My son is very athletic.

He just figured out how to swing last year. At age 9.

One day we were at the park and he decided he wanted to learn and that was it - he worked on it until he mastered it.

I think it is like crawling, walking, biking... You can show them how to do something, but they won't do it until they are developmentally ready.

[fraidycat]

I showed the kids, then gave them a little starter push and "drilled" them through it. Left, right, left, right, left.... Oh Sorry. That's marching. :D

 

Anyway, I would tell them to lay back and kick the sky, then lean forward and kick their butt, then lay back and kick the sky, then lean forward and kick their butt, etc. On and on and on until they got it. That was their "big boy & big girl" thing at 5.

 

"Nope, you are five now, I don't push big five year olds on the swing - so do it yourself or go play on the slide."

[Ellie]

I'm trying to remember where I'd list the important life skill of pumping while swinging...Sorry. I cannot.

 

If she has free access to swings, she'll learn how to do it. If not, she won't. I wouldn't worry about it for a nanosecond. I also wouldn't push her myself. Either she figures it out or she goes and plays on the slide.

[Just Kate]

My 6yo cannot pump a swing. I recall learning sometime between K and 1st. My husband (who is very pro-homeschool) feels like she hasn't learned because she's not in school and forced to pump if she wants to swing. I'd like to teach her, but it's very frustrating for her and she easily gives up.

 

Well, I tried and tried to teach my ds8. Like your dd, he would give up easily and beg to be pushed. I hate to have to agree with your dh a bit, but this year, ds started school and now he knows how to swing! He says that he just watched the other kids around him and figured it out. Kids...:tongue_smilie:

[trinchick]

DD was about 6 when she finally got pumping. Despite all of my explanations about kicking her feet, it didn't click. The aha came when her aunt told her to pull up with her arms. That got her whole body into it and she was all set.