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Original poster

what age should a child be able to swim by

31 replies

mad4simon · 19/08/2007 19:15

My DS is nearly 7 and still can't swim, he has been going swimming lessons for ages now, but still can't swim on his own. He is great with the floats but basically is shit scared of letting go. Everyone is always banging on about how important it to be able to swim and i am very consious of it. I have also tried teaching him myself but have had no luck.

OP posts:
TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 19/08/2007 19:38

How long is 'ages'? Have you discussed it with his swimming teacher?

I don't think it matters what age children learn to swim.

It does sound like he needs to build on his confidence in the water. Do you take him swimming and just mess about in the shallow end? If water becomes fun again and not about learning new skills or facing his particular fear then he might be relaxed enough to do it. I would carry on with the swimming lessons though, even if you feel a change of teacher or venue might get better results.

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 19/08/2007 19:41

And it's great that he can swim with floats, that in itself will build confidence and improve his kicking techniques. But some children take longer than others - like learning to walk - but the late-starters always catch up in the end

What do you think of the teaching staff? Do they have someone in the water to give support?

Aimsmum · 19/08/2007 19:43

Message withdrawn

Marina · 19/08/2007 19:43

Our ds is eight and it has only just clicked for him despite lessons since the age of three.
I think it is commoner than generally realised for children to be at least 7 or eight before they can swim confidently.
We did give him the final impetus as it happened - after splashing around unhappily in our local pools, we spent a week in June at a campsite with a really lovely outdoor pool. He wouldn't let go of us on day one and by day seven he was swimming lengths.
If you have some kind of holiday, visit or weekend away with access to a pool, you never know...try him again.

Marina · 19/08/2007 19:44

Snap aimsmum. Seemingly expensive, but tbh I reckon we had spent at least the cost of the holiday on all those lessons previously!

handlemecarefully · 19/08/2007 19:46

I think I am worrying prematurely. My dd is 5.1. She has been attending weekly term time lessons for over a year and can only swim with floats. Sinks without them (can't seem to keep legs up). Loves the water though

It's good to hear that they get there when they are good and ready. Does your ds have one to one or group lessons mad4simon? I'm pondering 1:1 but seems to be mega waiting list for these

handlemecarefully · 19/08/2007 19:47

We've just come back from a villa with pool holiday - perhaps we should book another!

charliecat · 19/08/2007 19:48

DD1 went to swimming lessons from age 4, she finally got it age 7, and now age 9 is on level 7, she has zipped through the levels now shes got it and bears no resembelence to the brick she once was

FioFio · 19/08/2007 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

handlemecarefully · 19/08/2007 19:52

Well this is revelationary.

Basically may have another couple of years to go!

Earlybird · 19/08/2007 19:56

DD has had private or semi private term time lessons once a week since she was 4. She is now 6.5. She liked to swim, but was not particularly proficient in the water and preferred to swim where her feet could touch the bottom of the pool.

About a month ago, we moved to America. It's been so damn hot here that about the only thing we can do outside without suffering heatstroke is to go swimming. The regular extended pool sessions have done wonders for her confidence in the water. She is a much better swimmer now.

Long 'round about way of saying, I'm not sure if it is age related or regular/extended time in the water. Maybe a combination of both.

Oh - also worth saying that most of the children I see here are excellent swimmers at a fairly young age, which would seem to support the regular/extended sessions theory.

Original poster
mad4simon · 19/08/2007 21:14

My ds has been going to swimming lessons for nearly 2 years. I started him off with the group sessions but have recently changed to just one on one lessons, but at just under £14.00 for half an hour they don't come cheap. He has done them for two whole weeks during the summer hols so far (1/2 an hour each day), and will book another weeks worth in the october holidays. I have also started taking him more myself. I know he will probably get their in the end, but its just frustrating (and costly).

OP posts:
LIZS · 19/08/2007 21:19

Most of the kids at dc's school do so around 5 , having at least one lesson a week in the school pool. ds was probably 6/7 though and even now is pretty uncoordinated. We actually gave lessons a break with him as his inabiltiy to progress made him reluctant to try and let him use floats/noodle when we went.

southeastastra · 19/08/2007 21:20

10? limbs take a long time to develop

bookwormtailmum · 19/08/2007 21:24

I'm glad someone else has posted their doubts about this - my dd has had lessons since the age of 3. We started her off at one pool but the water was always really cold, the lesson time was inconvenient (4.40 on a Sat afternoon and the lessons were often being cancelled for galas and so on.

I moved her to another pool but coming up for 3 years later, she's nearly there in swimming a width on her own. I was all for throwing in the towel and getting her private lessons from this Sept since privately I want her able to swim before they start school lessons in about yr 4. I hated those group lessson and it took me 2 years to master even a bad doggy paddle . I'm a rubbish swimmer now (my bf does his best to encourage me) so I really want my dd to master this useful lifetime skill. Even if all she can do is swim a length - that'll do me. I'm not looking for an Olympic champion - but it'd be nice .

Nemo2007 · 19/08/2007 21:26

completely depends on child and water confidence is everything. DS is 3.10yrs and can swim 10-25m wiht no aids at all. He has swim lessons once a week in a group but his water confidence is amazing. He just loves being in the water. I cant take him swimming myself due to having both the girls aswell.

MaureenMLove · 19/08/2007 21:27

I believe its on the National Curriculum now, that all children should be able to swim 100 mtrs by the time they leave primary school. Luckily for us, they take them at school during years 4 & 5. Does everyones school do that or not?

southeastastra · 19/08/2007 21:27

don't worry too much just let him enjoy the water

Original poster
mad4simon · 19/08/2007 21:27

I'm exactly the same i don't expect my ds to be a great swimmer, i just want to know that he will be able to handle himself in the water if he got in difficulty. I imagine the older it gets the harder it will be for him.

OP posts:
Nemo2007 · 19/08/2007 21:29

mad4simon £14 is expensive,1-1 here is £10 for half an hour.

Agree being able to handle themselves in water is a bonus and also being on holiday and them enjoying the pool etc.

Original poster
mad4simon · 19/08/2007 21:30

it would be dearer if we weren't members of the leisure centre. I don't begrudge the money as long as it gets results.

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 19/08/2007 21:31

It will come, honest! My dd was scared of the water until she was around 7 or 8. When she started swimming with the school, she was one of the weakest and now at 11 she's like a fish! I never did the swimming lesson thing either. She learnt purely by dh taking her on a Sunday and withthe school.

ladymuck · 19/08/2007 21:33

OK, here is a snapshot of ds1's swimming gala at the end of Year 1 (each boy having had at least a 30 min lesson class lesson at school each week since the Jan of reception):-

6 were racing lengths front and back;
6 were racing widths front and back;
4 were swimming with aids (1 of whom was also being supported across by an adult).

No major physical SN in the group, but a huge variation in swimming ability nonetheless. Of course a number of children could swim before they started school.

Original poster
mad4simon · 19/08/2007 21:33

thanks MaureenMlove - i am just a bit of a worrier.

OP posts:
bookwormtailmum · 19/08/2007 21:35

Well I'd have certainly failed to reach that target if they'd brought that in when I was at primary school!

I think my dd's school (same one as I went to, incidentally) still start the lessons in yr 4 and continue them in 5 & 6. You had to be able to swim to qualify for the outdoor adventure residential week (which involved lots of water-based activities) but sadly the council abolished that rule some years ago as it was 'discriminatory' against children who couldn't swim.

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