Swimming with a toddler

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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.

Is there anywhere else that does lessons? Then you can practice at the pool on your own what you do in the lessons.

My toddler is 15 months, at his lessons he is always held by an adult with no arm bands on. He mostly picks things up and places them elsewhere, you could try with something that floats like a ball from a ball pool? He also lies on his back in the water to get confident with the water going in his ears. He "jumps" in and goes underwater sometimes. They encourage him to blow bubbles in the water, splash, kick his legs and reach for objects. He also knows how to move safely around the edge of the pool moving his hands along the side and he can climb out alone, just in case he ever needs to. Just in case any of that gives you some ideas of what to do.

The Splash About Warm In One wetsuit is good when it is cold, I dont know what size they go up to!

Try not to let him hold on to you - you hold him. Keep him moving through the water and encourage him to reach forward with his arms and kick his legs. Front and back.

One of my DC's teachers used to get them to make up silly sandwich names when they reached their hands forward and make a sandwich shape (one hand on top of the other) - they loved that.

They really don't need to be able to stand in the water till you need them to be more independent - he is little enough for that yet.

Good luck! It won't be cold out forever and you are helping him develop an invaluable skill.

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.

This, except my dc are now adults, in their 20s, and are all strong swimmers. Being able to touch the bottom doesn't help them learn to swim or float.

Yes, but he can support his own neck surely?

You sound like you don't want to go, so don't. My little one goes to swimming lessons and loves it. They start with armbands and then progress to noodles etc. It's slow but steady progress and I don't have to swim!

It's 24/7 supervision no matter what

Arm bands, noodles etc are not foolproof when it comes to toddlers

Get him a wetsuit wetsuit

and some float discs Float Discs

and a pool noodle

The point of taking him swimming now is for him to get used to the water and be confident in it, putting his head under etc. With the right floatation, he should be able to be a bit independent, although obvs don’t let him out of your sight.

A deep pool is an advantage. In my experience kids don’t learn to swim if they can touch the bottom.

I used to go to baby swimming lessons with my DGD at about age 2 (until Covid put paid to it!). The water was about waist height on me so of course none of the children could reach the bottom. The activities varied between using pool noodles, floats etc to play different games. One game was for the child to hold onto a float and then put various floatable toys on it and then we had to go across the pool trying not to let the toys fall off (a bit like an egg and spoon race). The adults were holding onto the children at all times pretty much. We also played blowing bubbles to encourage them to put their face in the water. There are probably plenty of games you could play if you give it some thought and it isn't that hard to hold onto the child all the time as the buoyancy of the water takes some of their weight. DGD is now 8 and can swim better than me.

Or just drive to the other pool? 30 mins isn't that long.