The dissertation presents a new solution to the scientific and applied task of teaching swimming for children aged 7-9 using non-traditional approaches. The scientific novelty of the work is that for the first time: the structure and content of the experimental swimming training program for children 7-9 years old using aquafitness, which takes into account the children's physical health levels, is substantiated; the components of physical load in swimming classes were developed taking into account the level of physical health of children aged 7-9 within the preparatory, training and maintenance periods; test tasks and quantitative criteria for evaluating the swimming readiness of children 7-9 years old were developed; added and expanded data on the organizational and methodological features of building the educational and training process of teaching swimming to children 7-9 years old; directions for the use of aquafitness tools to improve the physical and functional fitness of children aged 7-9 have gained further development. The developed experimental program with the use of innovative approaches was carried out for six months and consisted of 3 consecutive periods: preparatory, training and support, for each of which certain means and tasks for their solution were identified. The developed program was based on the main principles of physical education and training: the principles of health-oriented orientation, applied orientation, consciousness and activity, accessibility, consistency, clarity. In each stage of the developed experimental program, the duration, intensity of physical activity and the ratio of means were different according to the level of physical health of children 7-9 years old. For boys and girls with a low level of physical health in the preparatory period, the duration of the training session in swimming was 35–40 min, in the training session – 55–60 min, in the maintenance session – 60 min; the intensity of physical activity was at the level of 40–45%, 45–50% and 50–55% of the heart rate reserve. During the application of aquafitness exercises, the variability of the exercises, the uniform distribution of the physical load on different muscle groups, were observed. Applied exercises were performed in shallow and deep water using various equipment. The exercises were arranged in different complexes: for familiarization with the water environment, for learning and improving swimming skills, for the development of motor skills, game exercises. Aquafitness exercises were differentiated according to different pulse modes according to the level of physical health and involved the muscles of the upper and lower limbs, trunk, which were characterized by different amplitude of movements, speed of execution and depth of immersion. Such differentiation provided optimal physical activity for children 7-9 years old. In the formative stage of the pedagogical research, the health-improving effectiveness of classes according to the developed experimental program from 7-9 years old was confirmed, which is manifested in the positive dynamics of indicators of functional state, physical and swimming readiness.
