Whats the youngest realistic age for a child to learn to swim?

[juicychops]

my ds is 2.1 and he loves swimming. Once it gets a bit warmer im goint to start taking him regularly. I want him to learn to swim early but whats a realistic expectation?

[shosha]

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[shosha]

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[frances5]

The float tube from the early learning centre is good. You can gradually reduce the amount of air in it and it gives a better arm position than armbands.

elc2.weboffer.com/

Our local swimming pool occassionally runs courses to train swimming teachers. The trainee swimming teacher have to give swimming lessons to proper children to prove that they can teach. The advantage for the children is that the swimming lessons are £1 for half an hour! There are also super swimming teachers to teach the trainee teachers and keep the children safe!

My son had an excellent experience on the first course he went on. He learnt to swim with armbands. The second time he went on the course it was a bit of a mixed experience as one of the the trainee teachers (who got told off for it) was sarastic to him.

The ASA have a list of swimming courses. If you want cheap swimming lessons it might be worth seeing if your kids can be taught by the trainee teachers on a course.

www.britishswimming.org/vsite/vcontent/page/custom/0,8510,5026-147898-165114-27773-104850-custom-item,00.html

[Bozza]

snorkle I started a new thread because I felt I was hijacking this one too much. I originally just intended to give the pesemistic view. I would be very grateful if you would look at it.

[eidsvold]

as soon as possible. Our dd1 started at 2 1/2 one on one swimming lessons and the focus has been safety and water confidence.

Dd2 was about 2 when we started mother and toddler classes again - water confidence.

Dd1 has always been a water baby and loved swimming, being in the bath, playing with water etc. No2 was quite hesitant.

As sue said - the norm for aussie kids is as soon as possible. No3 will probably start earlier than the other two - simply as I will not have other ones to worry about sitting on the sidelines.

I see the kids over the back who are younger than mine doing really well - but they have a pool and so are swimming more than my two are.