To think that swimming lessons for babies are stupidly expensive??

[Reddottys12]

I want my 5 month old DS to start swimming with his dad but am shocked at the cost of lessons! The cheapest I've found was £130 for 10 lessons.

Necessary or can we just take him for a muck about in a heated pool ourselves?

I agree. My Dd was a baby some 10 years ago but even then I remember being asked if I wanted baby swimming classes for some incredible amount of money.

And that's good value! We did a course of 6 lessons. Gave me confidence for what to do with her in a pool - a good way to get her used to going under water, etc.

Well does the price include the entry of both your DS and your DF plus professional instruction in a safe facility. I'm assuming it does. So 13 quids pretty good value for money in my opinion!

Swimming costs double the singing group! But it's a smaller class, needs a lifeguard as well as the instructor, and the hire of the pool won't be cheap. So I can see why it is expensive. Like everything, you have to do what suits your family. Personally, we've dropped the singing group as ds loves swimming and I think it's important he's comfortable in the water. He's 2, but started when he was about 4 months.

We go to our local leisure centre, it's 3.50 a class and is the same content as the majority of the more expensive classes. Some local authorities won't allow the under water swimming that some schools do is the main difference.

Not necessary, but it can be helpful to read a book to get the best out of it if you're going to go splashing.

The classes are just fun if you have a nice teacher and nice other people. I'm glad they were cheap when mine were babies!

I did this with my son but in hindsight it was really to give me confidence in how to handle him in the water and get him used to the water. You can just take him swimming locally in a pool that is warm/has a toddler pool.

The cheapest and most fun way would be for daddy to teach him to swim.

Why on gods earth would you line someone else's pocket to teach such a simple skill. Ludicrous at that age.

Just go as a family and splash about.

They learn.

Sorry my post reads like I am being an balahy cow! My message was typed hurriedly apologies!

That is so expensive. I went to a local pool for a mother and baby session every week and that was only £40 for 12 sessions, so £3 something for a hour with a instructor, toys and a private part of the pool. Think you are being ripped off!

No, you can't teach a 5 month old to swim (and those courses where your baby learns to float in their back I could never never do). But you can't teach a 5 month old to sing either, and there are plenty of singing groups.

I attend one such class with my dd and have done since she was 5 months (she is 17 months now) and they are well worth the money imo

predominantly at this age they teach life saving skills and make it fun so it's about how to hols their breath and find the pool side and hold on etc. it's done through play and repetition. my dd has learned a huge amount and if she had the lung capacity she would be able to swim a few strokes unaided.

I looked into cheaper alternatives through my local council but the classes were bigger and they taught with floats and armbands. the Classes I pay for do not teach woth armbands at all although floats are used a little bit.

I take my DD. She's 7 months and has been going since she was 3 months. She can already hold onto the side of the pool unaided and is confident floating on her back and going under, which I'm very impressed with. So yes, it is outrageously expensive but really good at building their confidence in the water and working towards them being able to help themselves if they fall into a pond/pool.
Our council runs lessons that are half the price, but only includes a bit of a sing song and some splashing. That is a complete rip-off as that you really could do on your own for a fraction or the price (or in the bath!).

also the pools are usually private or hydrotherapy pools so are lovely and warm

ds and dd both started swimming 'lessons' at 6 weeks. I am under no illusion at all that this was entirely for my benefit as I am a keen swimmer myself and loved splashing about with them, in the company of like minded mums, followed by a coffee and chat in the cafe afterwards. However, like seastar mine both go to the local council leisure centre for about £5 a lesson (London) I'm not sure I would pay a tenner to bob them up and down and sing some songs - much as we have all enjoyed it.

I did it with my DS..He is a great swimmer , he is now in juniors.

I think it gave him a confidence in water and also a love. I found it a lovely bonding expereince...

Was it cheap no..Do I regret it no...

I changed his swimming lessons in a local pool for more expensive lesons because he progressed far better....

Of course you don't have to and your child will learn to swim later ..Its about what you want to do

I've done baby swimming classes with all of mine and actually think you would be better off waiting till they are 18months - 2ish and starting toddler swimming lessons then (but still take them to the pool regularly till then). My 4 yr old started up lessons a year ago (we stopped baby lessons when she was just over 1) and can now swim better than I can. What I like best about her lessons is the focus on life-saving skills - they get tipped backwards into the water and have to right themselves and swim for the edge for example. I'm not a confident enough swimmer to either know what to teach her or have the nerve to do it myself!
Our lessons are £13 for half an hour and worth every penny.

I found the main difference is the £13 classes are in the weekend. Our council runs the baby and toddler swimming groups during office hours only.

Well it's a lovely thing for parents to do with children but you arnt teaching them anything you couldn't do yourselves by family swimming.

Still totally get the social side of it if you can afford it.

Bloody Water Babies! Costs a fortune and really...a baby cannot learn to swim. Save your money for when they are old enough to properly learn.
My friend went to a class where they did underwater baby photos; she got it on a canvas and it cost £145!!

I used to take my DC to lessons, until I realised the baby lessons really are a con. They don't do anything you couldn't do yourself, just taking them to the pool once a week, and splashing about, encouraging them to put their heads under, blow bubbles, float and kick.

Once they are about 3, I would say they benefit from a teacher, and regular lesson, though.

My DM is a swimming teacher and formerly taught babies. She had up to 6 in a class (with parents in the water) and essentially taught the parents how to enable the babies. The classes were £6 for half an hour and encouraged familiarity with the water which takes the fear away for some children. It was the pool that charged for the lessons - the teacher gets a salary.
She coaches now rather than teaches, but would definitely recommend starting as early as possible.
She still takes my DS (now 5) for lessons and has done since he was 6 months old. He can swim unaided for 6 lengths now...which I don't think he would be able to have done without having lessons from being young. He shows me the right techniques