It’s a splashing success! Birch Aquarium’s three Little Blue Penguin chicks just hit a major milestone—learning how to swim. Now that their waterproof feathers have come in, the tiny trio has started paddling around in a special behind-the-scenes training pool.

These swim sessions are an important step in helping the chicks build confidence in the water and develop key swimming skills before they’re ready to join the rest of the colony. While their feet may still be small, their waddle-powered determination is big!

Follow Birch Aquarium for more updates as these pint-sized penguins continue their journey from fluff to fully fledged swimmers. Source: Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography