New
New
All years

Front paddle and floating

I can experiment using different travel techniques to know how to travel forwards through water.

New
New
All years

Front paddle and floating

I can experiment using different travel techniques to know how to travel forwards through water.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: swimming using the front paddle requires reaching and pulling with the arms whilst kicking with the legs.
  2. Move: swimming forwards requires us to pull the water backwards.
  3. Think: using the correct technique with our head, arms and feet enables us to travel through the water.
  4. Feel: showing confidence in our swimming technique will help to improve performance.
  5. Connect: showing empathy and encouragement helps others with their technique.

Keywords

  • Front paddle - the activity of moving on our fronts using our feet to kick and arms to pull

  • Kicking - movement of legs which produces propulsion

  • Pulling - a method to move the water backwards to travel forwards

Common misconception

Pupils swim front paddle with their head out of the water.

Get pupils to lean forwards to ensure their chin or face is in the water.


To help you plan your all years physical education lesson on: Front paddle and floating, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Flotation equipment can be used throughout the lesson to support non-swimmers.
Teacher tip

Equipment

small floats, large floats , balls, noodles

Content guidance

  • Additional qualification required
  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
How close should you be from an adult in open water?
Correct answer: arm's reach
25m
a mile
Q2.
What is it called when you move streamlined position in the water?
a pull
Correct answer: a glide
a paddle
Q3.
How many messages are in the water safety code?
Correct answer: 4
3
5
Q4.
What are you showing when you give your peers time and space to perfect an action?
commitment
pressure
Correct answer: patience

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
How do you kick your legs when swimming front paddle?
Correct answer: long legs, pointed toes
bent knees
slow kicks, curled toes
Q2.
When pulling while swimming front paddle what should your fingers be like?
together
in a fist
out of the water
Q3.
When swimming front paddle, where should your chin or face be positioned?
looking up
on your arm
Correct answer: in the water
Q4.
What should the front paddle arm action be like?
Correct answer: long
short
fast