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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

2 year old and swimming - what do I need

19 replies

huggymummy · 24/05/2008 16:00

Right - dh hasn't taken ds swimming for over a year. He's now two and I'll do it.

What do I buy a rubber ring or arm bands - note that I cannot swim so it must be something that will really support ds - and yep - I need to get us both lessons - is 2 years old too young?

Help - I'm dying to take him but don't want to go with the wrong equipment and put him at risk.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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tortoiseSHELL · 24/05/2008 16:06

I wouldn't get a rubber ring - they are potentially dangerous if they get it round their legs - can hold their head under the water, plus it doesn't hold them in a swimming position. Armbands are ok, as are long sausage shaped floats called woggles.

At 2 I wouldn't bother with lessons, but if you really want to, there may be a parent and child class - they would provide equipment for that, so that might be a good option.

tassisssss · 24/05/2008 16:10

start with arm bands and see how you get on. the vest things with floats are great too but more expensive. if not potty trained i'd get trunks with built in nappy and if you have one take a towelling dressing gown or one of those poncho towels (and a snack) for popping on afterwards.

enjoy!

i wouldn't worry about lessons yet.

tortoiseSHELL · 24/05/2008 16:11

you will need a swim nappy as most pools say under 3 has to have a swim nappy.

Original poster

huggymummy · 24/05/2008 16:23

Cool - he's still in nappies so that's fine and he has the swim ones but it sounds the like the verdict on rubber rings are bad.

I just need something he's safe in as I'm hardly a swimmer myself.

OP posts:

foxythesnowfox · 24/05/2008 16:29

Personally I don't use armbands (for my children, I mean, although I don't either ) but I would recommend doing an Aquababies or parent/swim class. This will give you far more confidence handling your LO in water.

Original poster

huggymummy · 24/05/2008 16:52

But foxy I'm not so keen inthe water.

I took ds when a baby and we had one of those rings with the seats and I had to keep him in about knee high water- for me.

I just need something that will keep him completely afloat..

OP posts:

foxythesnowfox · 24/05/2008 18:48

Exactly why a course would help. I'm not much of a swimmer, infact I took adult lessons two years ago. The lessons taught me how to handle the LOs in the water and gave me the confidence, which I passed on to them.

It really did help me enormously

foxythesnowfox · 24/05/2008 18:49

I mean I did Aquababies when DS1 was little, and had adult lessons two years ago. Seperate courses.

ruddynorah · 24/05/2008 18:53

arm bands (dd is 2 and wears zoggs roll up arm bands age 1-6. they're big, blow tem up enough and they keep her up no problem. i don't hold her. she then puts herself in a swim position and kicks her legs to move. figured it out herself, no lessons, only been going a few weeks)

towelling thing for after.

swim nappy

that's it.

SoupDragon · 24/05/2008 18:59

Arm bands don't allow the child to have their arms in a good position for swimming. If you must use a floatation device, those jackets type things are better.

Both DSs learnt and BabyDragon is learning without any floatation devices.

SoupDragon · 24/05/2008 18:59

The most important thing is not to show your fear/lack of confidence about water to your DS.

ruddynorah · 24/05/2008 19:04

i thought the same but dd shoves her bum up to the surface, or her belly if she wants to swim on her back, and kicks away. they are far too big for her to move her arms but she so loves it. she even lays her head to the side to breath.

tortoiseSHELL · 24/05/2008 20:31

I've heard that about armbands, but actually dd and ds2 have done well with them - they both get a good swimming position. Dd can just about swim now unaided, and when she uses any aid it's a woggle. Ds2 swims on his front and back with the armbands, and I will start moving him on to a woggle.

amidaiwish · 24/05/2008 20:35

what about one of these float swimsuits?
here

catchingzeds · 24/05/2008 20:42

I've just taken my DS , 22 months, swimming for the first time. He didn't wear any floating aids, I stayed in the shallow end with him and held him.
He was nervous and I think armbands would have worried him more, he felt safer with me holding him.

Take a dressing gown for yourself, I think it was Enid who suggested it on another thread and I really appreciated the tip. I whipped off my costume and put the gown on and concentrated on getting DS dried and dressed. By the time I had done that I was dry and dressed easily and quickly. The snack I took kept him busy too whilst I was getting ready.

snorkle · 24/05/2008 21:35

Loads of kids have learned to swim just fine with armbands for decades. They're quite acceptable learning aids. The arm movement restriction is a slight disadvantage, but there are advantages too: easy of use, confidence building and a safe body position. As with all floatation aids though it's a good idea to get a child used to the feel of the water without them on for a short time each swim.

Float suits are OK too - often more fiddly, and usually take the child a little longer to get used to staying 'the right way up', more expensive but if used with the right balance of floats can help with a good swimming body position.

Rubber rings aren't generally recommended as learning aids and are often considered a bit dangerous too (a child might slip out), though some designs make this less likely.

For a 2 year old going to the water to have fun and gain confidence rather than actively learn to swim, arm bands are quite good imo.

BigBadMouse · 24/05/2008 21:58

I think floatation devices are a personal preference tbh.

My DDs did not like armbands at all - found them too bulky and they just did not relax in the water with them. They prefer the floatation jackets - as soon as I switched to them they were more confident in the water. I also like them as they give you more to hold on to / grab as neccessary (DD2 is a terror for trying to swim off down to the deep end). I don't find them tricky to put on at all. DDs found their balance with them very quickly and were soon off of their own - they are 2 and 4.

Do not go with your DS if you are going to worry about him in the water - he will pick up on it. If he gets dunked under temporarily just laugh it off - it helps if they see you get your face / hair wet too. Just enjoy the water together at that age. The most important lesson to learn is not to panic in the water - formal swimming as such comes later.

PearTart · 24/05/2008 22:27

Hi, I love taking DD to the pool for a splash. We just hold her and let her play. Little plastic balls (play-pen balls) and squirty toys are great. The main aim at this age is to let your DC enjoy the sensation and get confident in the water. Floating toys and balls/ duckies encourage DC to reach forward- like using arms to swim. We also do lots of splashing, blowing bubbles and whooping etc... We get DD to "jump" in from the side (still loosely holding her) then encourage her to find the side and hold on- this gets your DC to be safe and find the side of the pool when they get in.
We bought a swim vest, but when we got to our local pool we found that they provide a range of float vests as well as arm bands so you can try and find what works best for your DC. They also have a huge range of floating/ squrity/ foam toys already out during their "Fun Splash" kid's session Check to see what your local pool does for toddlers...

candyfluff · 25/05/2008 12:02

i will tell you you only thing you will need is nerves of steel!!!!!!!!!!!

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