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Original poster

Is 4 a good age for swimming lessons?

40 replies

machanicalmovement · 19/11/2022 18:50

I took my son swimming for the first time in a long while and he seemed a bit nervous, I was wondering about lessons to help him build confidence? Is 4 too young, or an okay age to start learning to swim?

OP posts:
elaeocarpus · 19/11/2022 18:59

The earlier the better to overcome fear.

As he is too old for parent and child swimming lessons ( at least here) you need to develop his confidence to join a group class on his own. Try going to a pool with a dedicated toddler section where he can stand up and jump around so he develops some enjoyment from water. And ask your pool if he can have some 1:1 lessons before he joins a group lesson as that can help.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 19/11/2022 19:01

Agree it is quite late; round here, lessons open from 5 months. Mine all started at that age.

But it will be fine if you start him off as PP says.

Purrfecto · 19/11/2022 19:02

Started both mine at 3, sooner the better.

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Bemyclementine · 19/11/2022 19:04

If he's nervous I'd take him regardless yourself first. I took my sons weekly from a few months old. They started proper lessons at 4 and 6, and have progressed really quickly because they were so happy and confident in the water.

Bemyclementine · 19/11/2022 19:05

Regularly. Not regardless. Go weekly for a few months. Have fun. Somewhere with a very shallow end for paddling, and a slide

LemonDrizzles · 19/11/2022 19:10

Keep going, 4 is a fine age. Confidence builds over time

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 19/11/2022 19:10

Personally I wouldnt put him into group swimming lessons just yet. They get very little time actually swimming, lots of time stood at the edge. The pool can be noisy as lots of teachers giving instructions at once. When they are 4/5 their gross motor skills are still developing and its easier (therefore cheaper) to learn later. Thats not to say that some younger children dont learn to swim quickly and have good technique at a young age but from what I saw lots stood around instead. I would spend the lesson money on taking him swimming yourself until he has cracked the basics. .

I waited (partly because I couldn't drive and couldn't get DD to the pool after school) however I took her every weekend. Played games with her. Practised spidermanning around the edge of the pool. Holding on to the edge and pushing ourselves down and kicking to the surface before moving to jumping in. Played swimming under legs, floating like a starfish and a mushroom etc, swimming to the bottom for dive toys and playing with balls, slowly throwing them out of her depth so she had to swim for them. By the time she actually started lessons she could doggy paddle several lengths of the pool and was very confident, she was older so her gross motor skills were better, and she was able to follow the instructions more successfully. She was assessed and went straight into level 4 - when they start teaching technique and got her mile badge within 6 months. A couple of years later she moved to squad swimming. The swim levels are here There is loads you can do yourself before he needs to hone good technique.

Hellocatshome · 19/11/2022 19:16

Its a good age but if he is nervous take him more regularly yourself first, no point wasting money on lessons until he is more water confident. If you can find a pool with a beach style walk in end they are great for water confidence. Just sit in the shallows playing with little watering cans/ boats etc and gradually get deeper. Buy both of you goggles and practice putting your heads under and looking at each other under water, blowing bubbles etc. His confidence will soon build. Throw a small ball to each other when standing in waist deep-water and gradually get deeper until he is bouncing on his tip toes.

Original poster
machanicalmovement · 19/11/2022 19:17

He's been swimming before, it has been a while since the last time.
I think the advice here it's to go regularly and build his confidence in the toddler pool before paying for lessons, we will do this it sounds like a good approach.
Thanks.

OP posts:
PottyDottyDotPot · 19/11/2022 19:51

I taught mine to doggy paddle at 4 and then they had lessons after that to learn the proper technique.

mondaytosunday · 19/11/2022 19:57

Of course he's going to be a bit wary - swimming is a big deal! But it's a very important skill to learn so perseverance is key and I'm sure the instructor is well used to nervous swimmers.
You should take him in the pool for rum on other days.

Original poster
machanicalmovement · 19/11/2022 20:15

mondaytosunday · 19/11/2022 19:57

Of course he's going to be a bit wary - swimming is a big deal! But it's a very important skill to learn so perseverance is key and I'm sure the instructor is well used to nervous swimmers.
You should take him in the pool for rum on other days.

This was swimming for fun, he was nervous and took a lot of coaching to get in the pool.

OP posts:
BigSidLittleSid · 19/11/2022 20:25

My DC has just started lessons age 5 and has come on loads in just a few weeks. The kids spend the full 30min lesson in the pool, there's no standing at the side of the pool. I would say 4 years would be a good age to start. I would have started my DC earlier but couldn't with weekend work commitments.

UsingChangeofName · 19/11/2022 20:37

I think 4 is a pretty good age to start lessons if they are confident to go in the pool.

This was swimming for fun, he was nervous and took a lot of coaching to get in the pool.

In his case I would try and take him regularly until he is happy getting in to the water and playing in the water and then start lessons.
Just a warning though, around here there are waiting lists for lessons - still catching up from covid - so it might be worth seeing if you need to go on a waiting list.

Original poster
machanicalmovement · 19/11/2022 20:45

Thank you, I didn't think of waiting lists. It might be worth me checking on wait times and getting him in now if they are long, and do weekly fun swimming until then.

OP posts:
Bananarama21 · 19/11/2022 20:50

I'm a swimming teacher we get kids from 3-5 in ducklings so 4 year old is fine. Also as they can follow basic instructions its fine.

33goingon64 · 19/11/2022 21:15

It's fine if he's OK with it. We started doing family swims and holiday pool games with DS1 before starting lessons age 7. But DS2 was ready earlier and started age 5. If you think he's not enjoying it, try just taking him on a weekend and wait a year or more for formal lessons.

TwitTw00 · 19/11/2022 21:21

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 19/11/2022 19:01

Agree it is quite late; round here, lessons open from 5 months. Mine all started at that age.

But it will be fine if you start him off as PP says.

At 5 months it's not a lesson though, or at least bit anymore than rhyme time at the library is a singing lesson. I appreciate children who go from this age tend to be able to swim unaided at 3ish, but I've not seen any difference by age 6 or 7 between the ones who started at 5 months and the ones who started at 5 years. Baby/toddler swimming sessions are a big expense over several years - I'd consider them a luxury, rather than a necessity like primary-aged swimming lessons are.

whattodo2019 · 20/11/2022 08:57

We started form 12 weeks with water babies. At four my two children by swam a mile!

Hellocatshome · 20/11/2022 09:02

whattodo2019 · 20/11/2022 08:57

We started form 12 weeks with water babies. At four my two children by swam a mile!

And what is OP supposed to do with this information? Build a time machine?

5dande · 20/11/2022 09:09

I think an ideal world a child would start swimming lessons aged 6 or under.
4 is the most common age to start stage 1 swimming lessons, at least in my children's classes. But there are a few 5 or 6 year olds. 7+ years olds have to join a special stage 1 class so no idea how many there are.

Meltingsocks · 20/11/2022 09:13

The earlier you start, the longer it will take! 4 is young, lessons under that age are more for parents senses of satisfaction/'an activity'.

I'd start paying around age 6

Artygirlghost · 20/11/2022 09:52

''@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff ·
Agree it is quite late; round here, lessons open from 5 months. Mine all started at that age.''

of course it isn't ''quite late''.

A 4 year old will pick it up quickly and be perfectly fine.

I was born and spent my early years on a Mediterranean island at the seaside, so literally spent most of the year in the water from a young age and we did not shove babies into the sea at a few months old expecting them to do butterfly strokes...

I learned to swim properly without any aids when I was about 3. Before that you just paddle around wearing floating aids and playing.

You really don't need to learn as a baby to be a good swimmer and there is a safety aspect to consider too.

balalake · 20/11/2022 09:59

Yes 100%

Sprogonthetyne · 20/11/2022 10:06

If he's still nervous, then I'd set a time to take him yourself weekly instead until he's more comfortable. He might need 1:1 suport to get him over his fear, which he won't get I the lesson (until you book private tuition), and in lot of lessons the teacher stays on the side of the pool, so he'll need to get in by himself. He'll get there eventually, but it would be annoying to pay for lessons if he's not ready to put his face in on lift his feet off the floor.