Is 4 a good age for swimming lessons?

[machanicalmovement]

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?

Much better than formal lessons first, is to take him yourself and let him muck about/play, and get used to and enjoy the water - do make sure it’s warm enough! And preferably get used to putting his face in it.
Being happy in the water is IMO the first essential.

4 is fine. I think going often is key so it becomes something he’s comfortable with and not a big deal. I’m not convinced the lessons from 5 months make much difference, we started DD at 3.5 for that reason and she’s a great swimmer now at 5.

I agree with the others- he’s not too little to start but if he is scared, I’d try and make the effort of going weekly and having fun. My 3yo is in lessons and has been from a baby but her biggest boost was our holiday last summer. Just being in the water having fun every day improved her confidence no end. The formal structure also depends on the child. My eldest was in group lessons from 3 and actually listened. My current 3yo is in with me and gives not one tiny care in the world about what the teacher is asking her to do. I’m a bit worried how she’ll manage once she goes into classes without me at 4.

All well and good saying the younger the better but some of you may have forgotten the small matter of covid leading to swimming pools closing and swimming lessons stopping for more than a year. In my area there were long waiting lists after that. So with the best will in the world, some people will have started their children with swimming lessons later than they wanted, and many children lost confidence in the water, not having been able to go swimming at all for so long.

I'd say it's a great age. My daughter started at that just after places reopened after covid.

My other disgusted is almost 3 but I won't be starting her until she's probably 4 too. Only because she wouldn't stay without me for classes.

Thanks, Lots of great advice. And yes the children who were very young during Covid have missed out on a lot of this kind of stuff.

Mine started at 4, I wish it had been earlier tbh, but COVID , waiting lists etc. It's defo not too young.

Well he's on a waiting list that's over a month long so it will be early January next year, In the mean time I'm taking him weekly trying to build up his confidence.

We've started lessons now, going weekly really built his confidence up. Thank you all.

Great news.

I totally agree with @TwitTw00

Just seen the update 😆

I’d get him used to the water first, just take him to a suitable pool (warm and shallow) and let him muck about in it and get used to having water splashed in his face, etc. Several sessions of that before any formal lessons IMO. He needs to see the water as something to enjoy.

good age to start in a small group or individual lessons.

Check out various schools around you, when DD started we waited for a place where they had 3 instructors for 9 non-swimmer children in the water instead of the instructor standing on the side which other schools did.

Ask local fb groups for recommendation as well.

DD swam as a baby but the teacher lost the pool and we couldn't find anything local on my day off until she turned 3.

Definitely use the toddler pool in the meantime to make it fun for him.