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Original poster

At what age did you start your child doing swimming lessons?

78 replies

CarlaTheGnome · 27/02/2023 18:07

And what form did the lessons take? Was it a block of classes or an ongoing PAYG type thing, did you have to get in the pool with them, did you just keep going until they got to a certain stage (could do a length alone etc.), was it 1-2-1 or a bigger group? I'm doing some research for DS (age 4) who has almost no experience at all and need all the advice I can get!

OP posts:

Pashazade · 27/02/2023 18:17

Um six months, about 8 in a class and in the water with them. Think I came out of the water around age 4. Once they hit the first term at school they're usually in the shallow end with the instructor in the water with them. It was termly up front payment.

Waitingfortaco · 27/02/2023 18:18

Aged 4. You paid for a block at our local pool.

RamsayBoltonsConscience · 27/02/2023 18:18

Took him swimming regularly from 8 weeks and then started proper lessons at 4.

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Pashazade · 27/02/2023 18:18

Oh and to say I'd Google for holiday intensives perhaps. Or ask on local Facebook for recommendations. Get her happy in the water before trying weekly lessons as a lot of kids will have been going longer and be more confident in the water, so she could be at a disadvantage.

aggymaggie · 27/02/2023 18:19

Not until he was about 7. Quite late by the sounds of it. But he took to it very quickly at that age.

Treeeeeeee · 27/02/2023 18:19

Lessons started age 3 but we took her swimming weekly since about 6 months old. Now age 4 she is a decent swimmer for her age

Aquamarine1029 · 27/02/2023 18:19

Started swimming with them at 8 weeks, they had proper baby lessons starting at 6 months and both could swim before they walked.

Dyslexicwonder · 27/02/2023 18:19

4 months, when he had completed his 1st jabs and could hold his head up reliably. In the water with them till 3 or 4 then woggles, both swam independently around 5 or 6.

BHRK · 27/02/2023 18:20

Age 4, paid in term blocks

Dyslexicwonder · 27/02/2023 18:20

By independently I mean happy to jump in deep end and safely swim to the side. Do a couple of lengths.

Sharpbridge · 27/02/2023 18:21

Started swimming age 3 (before that he always drank the pool then got ill).

He didn’t pick it ip in group lessons and just stayed at same level of swimming with a float (which he could do on day 1) so after a few false starts we did 1.2:1 lessons and he picked up independent swimming within 3 lessons

1:2:1 is much better value than loads of group lessons with zero progress imo

Okunevo · 27/02/2023 18:21

Age four, four or five in a class, didn't have to get in but watching poolside. Paid per term until age 7 when it was clear that despite being able to swim four laps of a 50m pool, his stroke was never going to improve. We lived overseas on the coast so swimming was a must.

Angelik · 27/02/2023 18:23

I found baby lessons a massive waste of money. Just Bob around with them yourself. Get them used to it. As they get older encourage them to jump in and take feet off the floor. Confidence and fun is key before actual learning. In the end, despite lessons at 4 with my son which I binned, he taught himself on holiday when he was 7. My dd a bit later - on holiday when she was 9. Main thing is they have had top times and no pressure!

Emptycrackedcup · 27/02/2023 18:23

Around 6 months

Hellocatshome · 27/02/2023 18:24

DS1 was 3 we started with lessons where I got in as well then moved to normal group lessons at the council pool. He went on to do Rookie Lifeguards and joined a lifesaving club.

DS2 started with lessons with me in the pool from around 6 months he was a very good little swimmer but had a horrific experience water wise aged about 5 and became petrified of water. Aged 7 we got him in with a lovely 1 to 1 swim teacher by 8 he was swimming for a swim club by 8 he was swimming competitively and still is now aged 12.

morechocolateneededtoday · 27/02/2023 18:25

One short course at 8 months to learn the basics of handling babies in the water then just swam with them ourselves. DC1 started group lessons with 4 children to an instructor when turned 5, now aged 6 and can swim independently, manage deep water confidently and is working on perfecting technique and increasing speed. DC2 started lessons when turned 4 and is progressing well

TheGriffle · 27/02/2023 18:26

We started swimming with them just for fun from about age 3. Dd1 started lessons at age 4, and dd2 age 5. Monthly dd set up with the local pool for lessons, there can be up to 8 kids in each session , they’re half an hour long and the teacher stays on the side of the pool, parents don’t go in at any stage.

Drizzlepeacefully · 27/02/2023 18:27

Did 1 to 1 lessons from 4 after a couple of years not getting very far in group lessons .

Judgyjudgy · 27/02/2023 18:28

In a group of 8 (or less if all didn't come). Initially it's just getting them familiar with water. I found the instructor varied quite alot, so changed the day so I could go with the favourite. Classes were once a week. It's amazing now at 19m what DC can do. Last week he jumped off the side of the pool into the water holding a noodle under his arms and floated there. He absolutely loves going. I'm not sure how long you need to stay in the pool with them for, I'm guessing until maybe 3 or 4?

mummyh2016 · 27/02/2023 18:29

Technically from 3 months but she started lessons without me just before her 4th birthday. Would've been earlier but covid mucked the lessons up for a good 12 months.

Monkeybutt1 · 27/02/2023 18:29

5 months old and he continued until he had passed all swimming stages at the local leisure centre after the baby lessons. For us swimming lessons were non negotiable as its a life skill.

NameChange30 · 27/02/2023 18:30

I didn't bother with swimming lessons when DC1 was a baby, just took him to the pool for a splash around occasionally. Then shortly after he turned 3, covid hit and all the pools closed. When they reopened there were long waiting lists for lessons. He was 4, nearly 5, when we tried to start lessons but parents weren't supposed to get in and he refused to go in without me. I abandoned that (luckily after the second excruciating lesson during which we just sat by the pool, the teacher took pity and refunded me the rest). Then he had a term of swimming lessons with his class at school. Then I managed to find a class for his age allowing parents to go in with their children. He was 5.5 when he started that and is on his second term. I think he'll do lessons at school again next term so I might take a break from the private lessons for a term.

He's making pretty slow progress tbh, he enjoys playing in the water but complying with instructions is less fun. I do suspect ASD and/or ADHD.

angelopal · 27/02/2023 18:34

DD was 4.5 when she started. We had not done much swimming before and it was a struggle at first. Did have to move to 1to1 at one point.

She moved back to group lessons and progressed really well.

DS started at about 1 and in group lessons with a parent. He then moved to group lessons where they go in without parents just before turning 5. He is progressing well.

Would start going swimming first to build up confidence in the water and then start swimming.

reluctantbrit · 27/02/2023 18:35

For 8 months from 1 year. Then when DD turned 3 she had a slot in a swim school, paid by term.

She swam with them until she was 11, then they had to move to a different pool and DD swapped schools until she was 13. She went all the way to Rookie lifesaver. Club swimming was never her thing.

WarningToTheCurious · 27/02/2023 18:35

We took them to the pool from around 4 months, and they started lessons at age 4.

I used to run swimming lessons and any younger than 4 and they struggled to follow instructions, so we set that as the minimum age.

If you can find lessons run by a swimming club, try those. Clubs have a vested interest in teaching and encouraging children to enjoy swimming.

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