Swimming lessons for 4 year old.

[EezyOozy]

My 4 year old is a total non-swimmer. We've been to the pool a few times and she splashes about a bit in the shallows mostly. I've tried to get a feel for swimming by getting her too hold on to the side and kick, or kick while I support her, but I've no idea what I'm doing.

She didn't go swimming due to Covid then we relocated and she's been on a waiting list for months.

Finally at the top of the list. She has a place in a preschooler class for 3-4 year olds. It's in the "small" pool, which is very shallow at one end and up to my shoulders at the deep end. The pool is divided in two for lessons and her class is in the deeper half.

I'm not allowed poolside, I know this is normal and the reasons for this, don't really like it though! The first battle will be actually having her be willing to go in, she won't know anyone . Anyway I'm trying to make her feel excited and grown up.

No arm bands are used. Don't like this either for a total non swimmer in the deeper half of the pool, but I know the reasons for this.

There is a ratio of 8 children to 1 teacher. So there will be 16 children in the pool with 2 teachers and 2 lifeguard watching. I don't like this either ! It seems too many kids!

I've spoken to the teacher about my concerns and she's lovely and I'm sure a great teacher... but I still feel uneasy about it.

I tend to be an anxious parent.... I know this. And I know she needs to learn to swim.

If I could find private lessons with a much smaller child ratio I would , but there doesn't seem to be anything around !

Would you all be ok with these lessons ? Am I being silly?

ONE lifeguard watching, not two. That was a typo.

My 3 year old goes in on his own, 6 children in his class one teacher one life guard, class max is 7. They are in the deeper end of the smaller pool so he can't stand up. It's fine, teacher is very good and strict about them holding on to the side or having a noodle/float and the lifeguard is right there. A few weeks ago the small pool was closed for maintenance so they took them in the big pool, the children weren't bothered at all other than saying the water was cold! She'll be fine and good to get her started.

I don't know what is recommended but my first thought is that sounds like a ratio more suitable for the kind of "rising 5s" class my eldest started in, not a group a year younger.

Hopefully they will recognise the children's limits very quickly and maintain strict discipline to allow them to progress safely.

I think YABU on most points except are you saying that as a total non swimmer she won't be able to touch the bottom of the pool? Because I don't see how any pool would do this? I'd ask them about this point specifically but everything else seems perfectly reasonable.

I'll be honest, it's not what we chose for DD - she was very nervous to start with (when I took her to the pool age 3 it was a few sessions before she would be in the pool without clinging to me - and it was all plenty shallow enough). We were able to find lessons in a pool where she could reach the bottom at the shallow end, and with two staff to 6 children for non-swimmers. It is, unsurprisingly, more expensive than other options. However it's worked well for her - she has always enjoyed lessons, and can now swim.

Thanks for the replies. Yes it's the not being able to touch the bottom as a total non swimmer that makes me feel most anxious.

@furballfun I might look slightly further afield for these sorts of lessons. Not having much luck though.

My ds is 6 and a non swimmer, the class wear arm floats and there 3 staff in pool for 6 kids and we sit on a raised platform next to pool. I wouldn't be keen n what your describing either but maybe give it a go and see how she gets on.

I would be a bit concerned with ratio and especially as you can't stay and actually see what's going on. Does the teacher maybe take 1 child in the pool at a time while the others wait. Not sure how 8 kids with no floats and 1 teacher in the deep end works.

My 4yr old has been attending lesson since September. She's a confident little girl so I knew she wld have no issues going somewhere new and me leaving. We started out at one held within a hotel and the group was max of 6. Teacher in the pool with them. Also a deep pool no shallow end. They used the arm band floats that have 3 levels so gd as they progress. They played lots of games and used to get the kids to jump in at the end which she hated (didn't want the water to go up her nose 😂). I don't think she made lots of progress but being in the water was gd for her confidence. I wasn't allowed to stay either and she started saying she didn't want to go anymore. Lessons were 30mins but class before finished when hers was due to start so it was always more like 25mins. It was about £11/£12 per lesson.

We were on wait list for council run one and got in there at start of January. They usually have 6/7 sometimes 8 kids. It gets a bit chaotic the more kids that are there so I do prefer if it's max 6. She can stand in the shallow end and I think this makes the kids more confident. Water is up to her chest. They use floats sometimes. She's made gd progress and last week was actually swimming across from one end to the other. This one I can watch from spectator area so we've been able to see how she's doing. The lessons are longer here too 40mins and last 5-10mins is playtime. They have a big box of goodies for the kids to play with and they all love it. Lessons are about £7/8 per lesson and she gets free access to all pools in our council county.

Thank you this is all extremely helpful.

My 3 year old started the week of his birthday, so literally just turned 3. We have to drop at the door but can watch through the windows. There are 6 kids in his group, one teacher and a lifeguard. They use noodles and floats and have to hold the side if they are waiting for their turn. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with more than 6, I think 8 is too many for non swimmers. My 6 year old has 4 in his group and it’s a much better ratio.

Shallow pools are terrible for teaching in. She needs to be able to not touch the bottom to learn to swim.

My 2 year old started preschool swim lessons this term. She had only ever been in baby classes with me before where they just doing splashing and singing. Within 3 weeks she is swimming 5m on her own, no armbands.

They can make really quick progress in the teaching is right. Trust the teacher and give it a go. With 2 experienced adults the chances of anything bad happening are absolutely miniskirt.

Minuscule! Not miniskirt!

My kids are in a group of five with one teacher but they start at the shallow end. I’m also allowed poolside - there’s no way I would agree to lessons for a 4yo non swimmer where I couldn’t sit and watch. That would be a dealbreaker for me, sorry. There must be something else, even if you have to travel?

Are you sure they don’t put a block in the pool? Mine did swimming in the deep end but there was a block put in that they stood on and then were encouraged to swim off it using floats.

I agree the ratio doesn't sound great.

Your DD won't be the first total nonswimmer they've had. They will have a process for keeping them safe and the lifeguard will be watching. But with that ration I don't see how they're going to get on that fast as the teacher will presumably have to do a lot of one on one work. So a 30 minute class could mean just a couple of minutes of actual instruction each.

Can you watch from a balcony?

Since it sounds like swimming classes are hard to come by, it might be worth trying it for a few weeks and seeing how it goes.

But I think the fashion for learning to swim so young is not particularly useful. There was a time when 6 or 7 years olds were off out playing by themselves and so swimming was probably more important if they ended up playing in water. But I suspect very few kids who get swimming lessons so young are off out by themselves at that age. You could just wait until she's a bit older. The point is to have them swimming confidently and with good watersense by the time they are teenagers - which is when there is a bigger risk of drowning as they go off by themselves, try things out, take risks, etc.

Keep taking her to the pool and improve her water confidence playing with you one on one, but don't bother with lessons until she's 7 or 8.

Thank you, there wasn't any mention of a block when I was querying these my concerns, but I can go back and ask.

I'm even looking at the expensive 2-to-1 lessons (I have a three-year-old as well) in hotels etc. Maybe if I could do something like that until they are slightly more competent, then use the council pool lessons afterwards.

There may be something in a private class 45 minutes away so I've emailed about that …… Other than that it might be an hour or more drive each way.

@NumberTheory you make good points thank you!

We go with Puddleducks and the parents/carer goes in with them til they are 4 or competent to move up a class. I don't like that ratio, myself, but I guess it must work as that's what they do.

Hi I'm a swimming teacher, ratio is fine I teach 8 ducklings aged 3-5. We don't tend to use arm bands unless they can barley touch the floor which is rare or they are abit unsteady. Our pool depth is 0.80m can I ask what depth it is? I do alot of movement in the water, walking,turning so they are comfortable and know they can always put their feet down i reinforce this when they start swimming and I get them to kick across ten metres . Some of the stuff they do is brilliant and some of my ducklings have now processed through the programme one is now in stage 4, I've got loads currently in my 2/3s swimming that I taught in ducklings. We do allow parents to sit on poolside though.

I also have a just turned 6 year old in my stage 6/7, so some kids just take to it. I have him in my 4 and he's like a little fish!

Covid also delayed swimming lessons for my 4 year old, but we started lessons in September/October last year (can't remember exactly) when he was 4.5 in a parent and child class, so I go in the pool with him with the teacher giving instructions. It's a baby pool and he can reach the bottom even in the "deep" end. There's usually about 6 kids in the class and each has their own parent there so it's really nice! My child would absolutely NOT have gone to a lesson like you describe. I just wouldn't have been able to persuade him to go in. He regularly tells me that he wants me to "cancel swimming" (even though he's doing well!).

I guess none of that is very helpful, sorry! Perhaps do some swimming just the two of you for a term and see if they've got a summer course once she's got some experience with you? Most of what we've been doing is getting the kids used to the water (blowing on it, blowing bubbles, blowing a ping pong ball around), jumping in (DS is just now getting comfortable jumping in without me catching him), and putting their heads under (putting their faces in, going under their float), which wouldn't be too difficult to do with her on your own? We just use a normal swimming float for practicing kicking (occasionally a float belt), no arm bands. DS does like his goggles though!

@Bananarama21 I've just checked online and it's 1m deep, thank you

I've taught in 1 metres deep where I work previously but smaller groups of 6 some kids were fine starting others couldn't. Is it a deck level pool I find that helps.

*I should just clarify - it's not a "baby pool" as under 3s aren't allowed in the pool at all

@Bananarama21 not deck level sadly , quite challenging to climb out even for me!