Pre-school age swimming classes

[TULIP2110]

Hi

I was just wondering if anyone has taken their pre-schooler to swim classes? I am just about to sign up my 3.2DD up for a course starting in September. The course is specifically for pre-school kids and parents don't go in the water with them, but watch from the cafe next to the teaching pool.

Would be intereted to hear if you have taken your dc and how they got on.

[UniS]

My lad ( 3.5) had his first "big boys" swim class this morning, hes is very excited and ken for teh 2nd one, happily for him its tomorrow morning.

2 instructors in the water with 6 kids, the 2 kids who were not happy were variously ( at different times)held by an instructor, allowed to sit on edge and watch, or back in mums care. a boy who didn't want a noodle float wasn't forced to use one, but did chose to when it was presented a swimming train. an instructor retrieved the determined wander towards the deep end every time he made a break for it. All in all I thought a good ducklings lesson. The boys want more.

[NightShoe]

I have a 3.2 yo DD and she goes to preschool lessons on her own and has done since just before 3. She adores it, generally gets on with what she is told to do and I have to say that the instructors handle them all very well as UniS has said above.

However, there are some children that refuse to get in the water without parents and now we are 5 weeks in and a couple of the parents are still stuck crouching on the side trying to persuade their DS/DD to get in with toys and encouragement from an instructor. It might be a slow process for you if your DD hasn't been to lessons before or isn't particularly water confident, so you should be prepared for that too.

[danthe4th]

Absolutely fantastic, my son who was 4 in april was the only one of my 4 children who went to pre-school classes he has been going a year and is now swimming without any arm bands and has his 5metre badge and duckling 1,2 and 3.It has been a fantastic class with max 6 children with 1 instructor in the pool.My older children all learnt to swim and are good swimmers but not till they were around age 6.Every child should have this opportunity if they can.

[Harimosmummy]

My DS has been going since he was 3 months old.

At 14 months old, he can swim alone (5 metres), swim on my back and climb out of the pool (safety).

I think the lessons are great and I'll def. keep him going.

HM

[danthe4th]

Just to mention it did take me 3 weeks to get him in the pool. The first week we watched from the edge, the second I insisted he sat on the edge and got his feet wet, the third week when he sat on the edge the teacher just got him in and I waited for him to scream but he was fine and his confidence grew each week. I have sat watching some mothers be very impatient trying to force their child in the water and getting very cross,they usually give up after a few weeks. Just be patient with them but firm and I must admit to letting them have something from the dreaded machine occasionally when they have been reluctant to get in. I buy it and they keep it in the swim bag until they get out.Lol

[NightShoe]

Agree with Danthe4th, slowly and surely is the way to go. It always makes me cringe when I see a crying child dumped in the water.

Harimosmummy - My DD went from 3 months too, I think it is one of the best things we have ever done. You will be amazed as he continues to progress - My DD now does 5 metres, mostly underwater without flotation.

[Egg]

tulip my ds1 is starting in sept. Sounds like same kind of place as we also watch from cafe if we can convince him to get in water without me being by his side the whole time! He rarely goes swimming but i took him this weekend and he loved it. He says he doesnt want to go in without me though. It could end in tears.

[UniS]

re reluctant to swim with out mum- I have been swimming with a friend and her son fairly frequently in last 6 months, now both boys are happy to splash about in pool with either mum while other mum goes and swims a few lengths. Both boys happily trotted off to swim class this morning together. I was happy that we had broken them in gently.

[feedthegoat]

My ds (3.9) started lessons about 6 weeks ago and absolutely loves it. He'd only been in a pool a couple of times prior to the lessons and amazed how well he's taking to it.

It is a class where the children go in with instructors and parents sit on benches at the side. They do lots of things to get the children used to going under water and having water on their faces which he used to hate with a passion. We took him swimming the other day and he actually asked me to catch him from the slide so he could go under the water!

[llareggub]

My DS is 2.10 and has just finished his last lot of mother and toddler swim sessions and is going in on his own in September. I've tried to keep his swimming up over the holidays but have failed miserably!

He is fine splashing around on his own with those discs on his arms. He'll jump in the water etc and has a strong kick. He is very confident in the water but I strongly suspect he'll refuse to get in without me come September!

He will be in a class of 4 with an instructor in the pool, so we'll see how it goes. I'm not overly confident!

[llareggub]

Way to many exclamation marks. I must be tired.

[TULIP2110]

Oh wow guys, thank you so much for all your posts. They are all really encouraging and i am amazed and how well all the kiddes have taken to the classes and are coming along with their swimming.

Thank you also for the great advice about being as patient as possible, it must be quite hard to see them wary to start with, good idea about sitting on the edge of the pool until they get a bit more used to it.

I'm actually quite excited about going, especially after reading about your experiences.

[sailorsgal]

ds 3 starts his lessons in September. He has been swimming for nearly all of his short life every week but only with me.

I think we are going to have tears but who knows.

We are not allowed to watch.