Swimming lessons - is this expensive?

Ours work out at about £3.50 a half hour lesson I think (term time only).

Countryhousehotel I am in exactly the same situation. I know the company you are talking about, does it begin with a s? My ds has done one term like this courtesy of grandparents and he has learnt to swim on his back by himself and absolutely loves the lessons. My theory was get him swimming like this and then do bigger class when his confidence was up.

I have looked at all the options and there wasn't much choice either. The one place who didn't have places at the time was at the Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre. I don't know if you are that end of Westminster but I think the London Swim School runs them. I have a friend that does them and she says they are really good.

seeker, I would say that to quite a large extent good technique is needed to be safe if you fall in, so there is probably a fairly large overlap between the parents & teachers objectives. If you've ever unexpectedly fallen into cold water fully clothed you will realise that you do need to be a fairly proficient swimmer to stay comfortably afloat for any length of time & the streamlining and efficient paddling/kicking actions associated with proper swimming technique are all rather important. I agree that butterfly probably isn't necessary, but my experience is that young children actually love doing it in small doses.

My 3 year olds lessons last for 30 minutes. There's 8 in the class. It costs us £4.05 a week. Their at our local leisure cntre and are great!

You are being ripped off!

Actually you saying that Seeker, that's what I'm finding with the lessons at the local leisure centre that my DD is doing now, compared with the private ones we used to do.
The leisure centre are very hung up on following ASA standards....perfecting technique, getting badges. While the private lessons didn't follow the ASA - but the DCs were jumping in the pool in their pjamas and doing more confidence sort of stuff.
I do need to be taking DD just for fun regularly, as these lessons now she's going in without me aren't so much fun.
The toddler lessons at the leisure centre were fun....but still a bit stuck on ASA goals.

Swimming lessons is one of those things where I think parents and teachers have different ideas. Parents tend to want their children to learn to swim well enough to have fun and not drown if they fall into deep water some where. Swimming teachers are concerned with that, but also with technique. I do think it's a bit depressing to see the 3 year olds at our pool religiously practising their butterfly. I would go for group lessons for 'waterproofing' a toddler if I were you.

Ds only got into swimming lessons once he was school age and I wasn't in the water with him.

I pay $7 NZ dollars for a 30 minute class with one instructor and 6 children. We can also have a free son and mum swim any time during the week (which would normally be $6) so if we go twice a week the lesson only works out at $1 which is under 50p.

I think that will be the cheapest. Organised by city council.

I really feel my own DD gained her water confidence and swimming ability from having fun in a group with parents.
(But everyone's different)

Just want to say something in favour of the lessons without parents. Ours do this from age 3 (about 4-6 kids to one teacher).

I've seen loads of kids who get on so much faster without the parent around. it is like the teacher expects them to do stuff and they just get on with it. Once they are back with the parents they seem to slide back into "baby mode". I'm not saying it is right for all, but for some this type of lesson can be great.

We paid £3.50 for 30 min group lesson

yes-i agree that she is too young to be in a group without a aperent. that is what i suggest-you do group lessons but with you in the water with her.

i honestly believe that having a parnt in with them makes them more confident.

it will help your water confidence too.

7y DD does group lessons and they cost just under £5 for a 30m class. We pay termly.

DD is also going to do some one to one lessons over the holidays, as her group lessons stop. These are £15 for 30m.

I agree with Filch about the group thing
it's much more fun for games and songs to have a few of you

That is very expensive, even for 1-2. I'd also say that at age 3, many children don't really progress very fast at swimming, so you are likely to need lessons for a much longer time to get to the same standard than if you leave it until she is 4 or 5.

I would recommend stopping the lessons, but taking her regularly yourself to have some fun (force yourself to conceal your own phobias). You can still encourage her to kick and push-glide a bit too if you want. It will probably develop her confidence more quickly than continuing with the lessons.

Although I absolutely hate swimming with children, as it's soooo boring, I think it is more "productive" to take them for "fun swimming " at that age with a parent in the water.

oh and parents were in the water with them-that way it's more normal.

i don't agree with the not having parents in the water at 3-thats way too young!

saying she's not ready for a group because she is nervous is just plain wrong.

being in a group makes them more confident because they can see what the others are doing and copy them and it also takes the pressure off them.

ds2 did a once a week group lesson from a very young age-it was quite cheap-in the olcal council pool.

he adored it and loved seeing his swimming friends. he was uber confident and helped some of the more nervous children see that it was ok and fun to jump in/get wet etc.

he's five now and can swim without armbabnds.

i think you are being ripped off-find ut what is available at your local pool.

We pay £14 a month for 30mins a week which sounds cheap in comparison to OP! Ours are with a swimming club who use the local baths...

gosh, that is expensive! We pay £22 per month, so some months that is 4 lessons but during a 5 week month that is 5 lessons. But for this £22/month we also get free swimming at the pool whenever we fancy and free entry to the jungle gym at the leisure centre next to the pool.
This is a county-council pool/gym, not a private one.

omg, you are mad! Why not just take her for fun swims, I don't see the value of lessons at this age at all. Most the children I know who swam like fish by age 5 (or younger) just went lots and lots (at least twice a week) with their parents, from age 2 or younger, no formal lessons required. As a side effect your own confidence in water would increase, too.

Group lessons here cost 21/month (so ~250/annually), and that goes on year round with only a 2 week break at Xmas. Private 1-to-1 lessons were 9 quid/an hour 5 years ago, so probably more like 12 quid/hour now. We are far out of London.

DDs have lessons at our health club. 30 minute lesson once a week is £60 aterm and there are no more than 8 children in a class. Individual lessons are £15 for 30 minutes.

If your child is not a member of the club the lessons are £95 a term for one 30 minute lesson a week.

Membership is £20 a month per child so I pay £40 a month which is a lot but the DDs have access to a lovely, clean mostly quiet pool with fantastic changing rooms.

We go most weekends and at least 3 times a week in the summer holidays.

The DDs lessons are about £75-£80 a term (depends on the length of the term) at a private gym. Classes of 6-8 children.

Our lessons are £95 for next term, this term just gone was £80. The difference is the number of lessons, the prices have stayed the same.
These are at a private pool, 5 of us in our group but some groups are smaller.

I think it sounds like a huge amount of money they are asking you to pay - what does that work out at per lesson £25-30? I would expect one-to-one teaching for that price.