Swimming - lessons or go alone

[user1465146157]

My DD is a bit young at the moment but at some point I want her to learn to swim.

Lessons look good but a friend told me she just took her baby alone and taught her herself.

is this a good idea? Do you think lessons are the best way to go?

Also what age is best to start?

thanks

Personally, I would say proper lessons from 4 when child is capable of following instructions, in a class of no more than 4 or 5 with teacher in water. Before then, take child yourself for fun sessions and water familiarity. Worked for us and DS - non-swimmer at 4 - in a swim squad by 6.

I don't think you need lessons till they are around 3/4. Water confidence is more important at a younger age.

We chose to go with lessons. My dds started at 3.5 which with hindsight was too early. The earlier they start the more lessons you will need to fork out for imo. Take her swimming regularly yourself and then start lessons at 5/6 when she will pick it up much quicker.

I started DD with swimming lessons the term before reception (and dancing too). She had been in such a free-flow nursery I was worried that she'd take no notice of her teachers!

We did do some baby swimming when she was tiny (she always slept well afterwards!) as our local pool tended to get packed. She started to object to the dunkings at about 13 months so we backed off and let her take things at her own pace.

I know there are lots of baby swim lessons available but based on the experience of friends that keenly signed their DC up for these, they have little impact on swimming ability later on but they are great for confidence and familiarity.

Started DS at 3 and it was too early, I had to go in with him and he just clung to my neck so stopped it. Started him again aged 4.2 and he has to go in on his own, there is no real viewing area either so he isn't distracted by me. He's doing so well.

Take her yourself until around 3 or 4. When you take her alone try to stick to woggles rather than arm bands in deep water to get the right body position and most importantly play blowing bubbles games and games where she needs to put her face in the water (I used to hold different coloured ducks under the water and only reveal them when their face was under and they had blown bubbles to 'call' the duck) Also as much time as possible in water she is able to stand in which goes to just under shoulder level. When she moves about in the water chasing after a ball etc her natural bouancy will lift her feet off the floor a little and she will soon find she can move herself quicker by keeping her feet up and pushing with her arms etc.

I take DD regularly but due to other commitments haven't been able to fit in swimming lessons until recently, she had her swim assessment and has gone straight into Stage 4 so hasn't missed out on not starting earlier.

The key is water confidence, I never used arm bands but noodles and lots of games in the water, throwing and catching etc and she just got it. She doesn't have a perfect technique but she can swim in her own way fairly well.

I used the uswim.com videos with mine... mainly because shift work meant I didn't have a regular time off each week to take them.

They are all water confident and good at floating a reasonable back stroke and can do a better front crawl than I can. They each had a term or so or lessons at school in which they did other strokes and had help with technique from a teacher. None of them really enjoy swimming lengths for the sake of it but they are all able to enjoy the pool confidently on holiday