Flip Turn

Approach the wall with a steady flutter kick while holding the pull buoy in your fully extended arms. When the buoy is about two feet from the wall, push it down, lower your chin, and roll over it—keeping your arms stretched throughout the maneuver.

In at least chest-deep water, the child builds momentum with the upper body and jumps forward from the pool floor with the body tucked into a ball; the arms can assist. Once a forward roll succeeds, try two in a row or a backward roll. Momentum and a tightly tucked body — both key for the core exercise — are trained here, with far less courage required than the actual dive.