Swimming with a toddler

[displaynamed]

My local council has one centre which is toddler friendly - ie heated and not too deep. This is not available on a Saturday due to swimming lessons. Its also only got on pool available on a Sunday and limited time - open 8am-2pm and 1 hour sessions start on the hour.

Unfortantly it's a standard depth of 90-120cm so too deep for toddler to stand unaided and and also no steps/ramp for him to gently walk into the water/become more confident etc.

My mum thinks I should put some arm bands on him and everything is ok. However it doesn't keep him fully afloat and he spends the session just behind held by me - sometimes with gentle jump into my arms etc. also I'm getting cold and so is toddler.

Aibu in thinking it's a waste of time going swimming? Other pool are 45 m session length and 30 min drive.

I remember going swimming on a Sunday and unrestricted.

Also the logistics are hard - the changing rooms are freezing cold and family rooms are limited when it's you and everyone else trying to get changed at the same time. Can't shower either as they are mega hot (maybe compared to the cold) and don't stay on.

Well if he’s only a toddler you won’t be able to take your eyes off him anyway so why not try arm bands or a ring? Surely you’ll just spend an hour with him jumping off the side and you catching him anyway 😂

with the changing rooms being cold I’d stop him off shove a dressing gown on him and give him a drink whilst you get yourself ready then get him ready.

He's not jumping yet, just goes to my arms and I teach him to hold his breath or whatever. Don't know what to do really.

The armbands don't keep him above water.

He's already in his dressing gown, they are freezing.

I just spent the whole time holding mine, swishing them back and forwards, encouraging kicking and ‘jumping in’. They’re highly unlikely to learn to swim but it increases water confidence.

We were advised not to use arm bands as it can give them a false sense of their own weightlessness.

Do you think it's worthwhile trying at that age? The children in the lessons were slightly older and they looked like they were still learning. There is a private pool that does lessons 2 mins walk from my house, just I know little one will whinge if he gets dragged out after 30 mins

Arm bands should keep him afloat, just hold him, changing rooms are often shit, shower at home, swimming is an important skill

Put a toddler wetsuit on him and teach him to use a pool noodle (always in arm's reach off you). Holding him is fine if it's swim position and he's learning to kick and move his arms.

It's not perfect but i bet it's how all of us over 35 learned to swim

Have you tried a float vest? I started taking my daughter swimming at a bit over two due to covid and I mostly held her and we swished around, piggy back rides, ducking up and down, towing her about etc. I never used a vest for her myself but lots of toddlers do. Both the pool we used then and the one we go to now have lots of floats/pool noodles to play with in the water. We only started armbands last summer (aged six) and abandonned them after a few months as she can now swim a little unaided.

I miss the days of unrestricted swimming - we used to go and spend the afternoon in the pool but now all sessions seem to be fixed 50-60 minutes.

Try not to use arm bands - they are no help in learning to swim and impede movement. Do hold him.
maybe get a baby wetsuit. Do get him proper lessons if you can afford it. If can't afford private then work on building water confidence.

Wait until better weather and it will all be a little more bearable.

My youngest loves swimming but last few weekends we have been for lessons and she has been in tears after as she is just too cold.

They don't keep his head afloat.....

How can I do water confidence when he can't let go of me? He's fine being dunked under water but he can't stand unassisted in water and not jumping in yet so I find it a bit pointless ATM

It's bloody awful!

@displaynamed DD1 had lessons from when she was a (PFB) baby but DD2 didn’t because of Covid. DD1 was far more water confident than DD2 and I think it was probably as a result of all the pool experience when she was young. However, some baby lessons can be very expensive so while it’s nice I’d imagine taking them yourself would probably be just as effective.

DD2 has also caught up since she started taking lessons.

Lesson times don't work for us atm. It's only 8am on a Saturday and we can't make it. I also don't want him to whinge after being taken out of the water after 30 mins

Yes I had lessons when I was older and it was probably better. We don't have a big swimming culture in the UK so not an issue

Maybe I'm thinking shallow water would actually be better.... ?

Float vests are great. My little one has been doing water babies since she was small but now swims about very happily in a float vest and loves the independence it gives her. I think the cold / faff of getting changed is just an unavoidable part of going swimming!

You might be surprised. If I take DD (3.5) swimming at the public pool she will happily do 45mins-1hr. But her swimming lesson she is knackered after 30mins, they work them hard. Plus everyone else is getting out so they just get used to it.
It’s expensive but best money we spend, DD loves it and it’s an important skill. At 3.5 she can float for a few seconds on her back, is very confident jumping in/going under, swims (kicks) well with a noddle and close to doing a tiny bit with no float.

This 👆👆

You sound like you just don’t want to take your toddler swimming so… don’t? Find another hobby and leave the swimming for when he’s older?

My approach to swimming with my DC was to go somewhere that was warm that I would enjoy being in the water. I think people overthink it all a bit, but that is just my opinion.

When they are toddlers you can't take your eye or hands off them really, so just having some fun in the water together whether they are in arm bands, swim vest, a ring or nothing at all is a lovely thing to do and gets them comfortable being in the water and get used to the whole routine of going to a pool. We'd just splash around, practice a bit of kicking or holding on to the edge and turning to me or just have some fun and not really do anything structured.

If it is going to be chilly, unpleasant or a massive faff, or its not your thing, then don't bother.

I joined a gym with a pool when DS was that age as 1)the water temperature was warmer and 2) there was unrestricted access to pool time during the day when his sister was at school (and all the public pools were used for schools lessons).
Although the water was still too deep for a toddler, there were graduated steps down rather than ladder type steps.
We were told not to use armbands so used a mixture of a pool noodle and a float vest with removable floats.

Use a wetsuit to help keep them warm. I don’t think you’ve said how old your child is, but in most pools, if they are a toddler, they are likely to start to get cold after 30mins or so (and yes, you will too). The wetsuit will buy you a bit more time. Private lessons often take place in private/hydrotherapy pools which tend to be warmer, so if cost isn’t a barrier, that is an option.

Armbands are not recommended for swimming.

FWIW, neither of my children (3 and 6) have ever swum in a pool they can touch the bottom in, and both have swum weekly since babies. Oldest could swim from 4, the youngest currently uses a pool noodle. The key is encouraging them to kick, paddle, put face in, learn to hold the side, climb out etc. Water confidence and water safety.