THE STORY
The Caterpillar’s Song of Courage
The Children’s Story told in Every Swim Lesson
The Caterpillar's Song
of Courage
Meet our fuzzy friend, a caterpillar who loves munching leaves but only those she can reach while keeping her feet safely on the ground. When she discovers the tastiest leaves are high above, she must make a brave choice: stay in her comfort zone or venture into the unknown.
Swim Skills for Children Using Story and Song
Transform your child's swim experience from tears to cheers with "Swim Skills for Children Using Story and Song." With over a decade of experience, Shalene shares her revolutionary Story, Song, and Swim method that make learning to swim an adventure
rather than a chore.
How to Use My Books
The Caterpillar's Song
of Courage
What You Get:
A beautifully illustrated children's story about a fuzzy caterpillar who must find courage to take their feet off the ground and reach for higher leaves - ultimately transforming into a butterfly.
Benefits:
Helps children understand that fear is natural and courage means trying anyway
Provides a framework for discussing big emotions and life transitions
Creates a shared story that builds connection between parent and child
Used by teachers in classrooms and music teachers for teaching melody, creative movement, and social-emotional learning
Supports children facing changes, challenges, or new experiences
How to Use This Book:
For Families: Read this story regularly with your child, especially during times of transition or when they're facing something new. The repetition builds familiarity and helps children internalize the courage message. It will also help them to prepare for swim lessons with the story, song method.
For Swim Instructors: Use this story as the basic framework for swim lessons. In each lesson: story, song, and 3 tries. Each part of the story has a corresponding swim position or skill. Teaching through story and song connects with children on an imaginative and engaging level, increasing comfort and connection in swim lessons.
For Music Teachers: This book works beautifully for teaching simple melodies, melodic contour, creative movement, and social-emotional learning. The song is perfect for Kindergarten and 1st grade standards. (Music lesson plan available - contact for details)
For Classroom Teachers: Use during units on butterflies, metamorphosis, courage, or overcoming fears. The story supports social-emotional learning discussions and works well at the start of a new school year when students are navigating changes.
For Bedtime: The gentle rhythm and reassuring message make this perfect for bedtime reading, helping children process their own
brave moments from the day.
Swim Skills for Children Using Story and Song
What You Get:
A complete guide showing how to use The Caterpillar's Song of Courage as a teaching framework for water safety and swim skills. Includes specific techniques for nervous system regulation, building water confidence, and developing essential swimming abilities through play and story.
Benefits:
Empowers parents to teach their own children foundational swim skills at home
Gives swim instructors a proven method for reducing fear and accelerating learning
Focuses on nervous system regulation before skill acquisition - more engagement, lasting progress
Works for typical learners, fearful swimmers, and children with special abilities
Reduces the cost of professional lessons by giving families tools to practice effectively between sessions
How to Use This Book:
For Parents: Start by reading the "Purpose" section to understand the philosophy. Then work through the techniques chapter by chapter during your pool time. You don't need to be a strong swimmer yourself - the book teaches you how to create safe spaces for exploration. Use this before formal lessons to build a strong foundation, or use it instead of lessons if you prefer a family-centered approach.
For Swim Instructors: This becomes your lesson plan structure. Read it before the season starts to understand the full progression. You can use the exact story and songs provided, or adapt the framework with your own stories. Particularly valuable for instructors working with fearful swimmers, adaptive aquatics, or parent-child classes. Many instructors use this as a 4-6 week introductory program before moving to traditional swim instruction.
For Communities: Recreation centers, schools, and community pools can use this as a family aquatics program curriculum. The approach works for group parent-child classes where multiple families learn together, making swim education more accessible and affordable.
Who This Is For:
Parents who want to teach their children themselves
Families preparing for formal swim lessons
Swim instructors seeking better methods for fearful or neurodivergent students
Anyone who wants to understand how story, song, and nervous system regulation transform water learning
What Makes This Different:
Survival swim instruction sometimes pushes children far beyond their comfort zone to facilitate learning. This method gently challenges children while keeping them engaged and enjoying the process. Children who learn this way typically progress faster and retain skills better because they're more likely to enjoy practicing outside of formal lessons - the process has been fun and engaging rather than stressful.