Toddler swimming

[redwillow]

I have a 2 year old who is able to swim about 5m unaided and have been to parent and toddler lessons since he was about 3 months old. He was put in to a group for 3years olds(without mummy) believe me it was the longest 30 mins of my life!! But he loved it and joined in really well and even swam on his back without complaining always refuses with mummy but now I can't stop him!! They then realised they made a mistake and told me for health and safety reasons he has to go back to mother infant swimming he cannot stay in the group just because he is 2.
Please does anyone know of a swim lesson where they go on ability rather than age? I have one very sad little boy who says not like mummy lessons want big boy lessons!
thanks

[wantadvice]

Surely that is going to depend on where you live and what is on offer in your local area.

[redwillow]

I am searching high and low and am just looking for advice and recommendations? Or to see if I am just asking too much!

[Gigondas]

It depends on how well he follows instruction etc- dd was allowed to go unaccompanied when not quite 3 but that was only because the swim classes were sure she would be ok without someone in the water (ie wouldn't cry etc) and could follow the teAcher but this is class with maximum of 4 of similar age in.

[redwillow]

He is quite advanced he's just had his 2year old check and they said he is advanced. He follows quite complex instructions he didn't cry listened other than getting a little excited he was fine he stayed at the side when told to and followed instructions some time he needed to be shown rather then just told. In the 2 lessons he has been to he has already learnt to use a float to swim on His front and back

[TheHandThatRocksTheCradle]

Can you just book private lessons? I'd imagine they'd be a bit pricier but I've not heard of any group lessons which will take them on much under 3.

[redwillow]

Not till he is three

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

Hi. My dd is great at swimming and went into a stage 1 class (without mummy!) age 2. Tbh it didn't work out that well because she did find it hard to behave/follow instructions and would let go of the side and just bob around underwater which wasn't safe at all. It wasn't really fair on the rest of the children in the class as the teacher had to spend too much time watching her and not focusing on getting them swimming. I also don't think she actually progressed any quicker anyway.

[barnowl]

My dd was just like your ds and as she had been in the lessons since a baby they were happy for her to go up early as the teacher knew her well and was confident she would co-operate in the class but it was at the teachers discretion. It may be worth a chat to the centre manager and perhaps suggest that you could sit on the side as an extra supervison for him.

[oyuoyu]

My DS is 2 and goes in unaccompanied. It is a small class and he is making good progress but I can't see him getting any better until he is a bit older. It won't turn him I to an Olympian, so just continue with the fun lessons and take him yourself too.

[BikeRunSki]

I imagine that it's a lot to do with insurance taking U3s without Mummy. Over three unaccompanied (in pool) seems the norm in private and local authority classes around here (S/W Yorks).

[Coldcuppacoffee]

I have similar problem. Advanced but young swimmers just don't seem to be catered for.
Sorry, no advice, just sympathy.

[madwomanintheattic]

private lessons.

or just take him yourself.

i'm not sure why it's essential he gets an instructor before he's 3?

tell him he can have big boy lessons when he's a big boy.

i'm sure my 2yos would have liked to do lots of things (actually ds1 wanted to ski, but we knew lessons only started from 3, so we booked the holiday over his 3rd birthday)

[Lizcat]

Swim schools that do not follow ASA have different rules. These are often private swim schools using private pools. At DD's swim school they are allowed without mummy when they are able to listen and follow instructions and feel confident without mummy - youngest child alone 2 years old. There is one person in the pool for every 2 children at this time - but obviously you pay more for this level of attention.

[madwomanintheattic]

why is this in g&t btw? you might get more replies in extra-curricular?

[Kitsilano]

My dd attended classes without me from 2. She could swim 25m unaided at about 2.6 and still loves swimming now at nearly 4 - swims 6 lengths or so each lesson and is learning all 4 strokes.

She went to a private swimming school. There's no particular gain to rushing though. My elder DD was similarly advanced but now at 6.5 everyone else is catching her up.

[basildonbond]

there's absolutely no point in a 2 year old having formal swimming lessons (other than to increase the teacher's bank balance ...)

the best thing parents can do until children are about 4 (at least) is to take their children swimming regularly and get them water confident - anything other than that is completely superfluous

[pinkchoccy]

I agree with basildonbond completely. My son could swim at two because we went swimming regularly but he didn't have any lessons until he was four.