They tend to like it there because apart from the big pool with a bit of a play part, it has a shallow warm pool, jaccuzzi pools and a big slide they are now big enough to go down by themselves!
Yesterday we didn't just play around and go on the slide about 200 times (or so..!), the kids also earned themselves some swimming badges!
In Sweden, by achieving different things in the swimming pool, you can get different "simmärken" (= swimming badges).
You have to do an official "test" where your performance is observed and approved by a licenced swimming teacher, and if you are approved - you can add that badge to your collection!
The badges have very funny names, f.e there is the Silverfisken, Guldfisken, Järnmärket, Bronsmärket, Silvermärket, Guldmärket, Magistern, Hajen Brons, Hajen Silver, Hajen Guld, Vattenprovet, Kandidaten and the most known of them all - Simborgarmärket.
Simborgarmärket is a proof that you "can swim". You need to be able to swim 200m breast stroke to achieve it, and the thought behind it when it was launched in 1934 was that you are supposed to redo it every year, to prove you are still swimming proficient.
Lucas did the Järnmärket (= Iron badge), he dove in the deep end from the side, he then swam 50m breast stroke, 25m back stroke and kept afloat for 1 minute.
Linnea did the Guldfisken (= the Goldfish), where she swam breast stroke for 25m.
Both the kids are extremely proud of themselves, as they should be! They are really keen on going back and taking some more badges, but we need to practise a bit more before I think. Some techniques are a bit different to how they learn them in Brunei.
It shouldn't be too long before at least Lucas can do the Simborgarmärket though, that would be a pretty cool feat!
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