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Original poster

Have you and your lo had swimming lessons with water babies?

18 replies

LittleMissBliss · 07/04/2008 20:53

It looks fab, the photo shoot at the end looks lovely, a real special moment captured. But it's so expensive £400 for the year course, 3 terms. (£10 ish a lesson). Its allot of money to spend but i'd be convinced if i hear some good stories!

Link

Thank you

OP posts:

foofi · 07/04/2008 20:55

Did something similar called 'Little Dippers' and have some great photos. I'm not sure it makes them better swimmers long term though.

PestoMonster · 07/04/2008 20:56

I did Little Dippers too, Foofi, but only with dd1.

Original poster

LittleMissBliss · 07/04/2008 20:59

would you reconmend the experience? Was it worth the money?

OP posts:

foofi · 07/04/2008 20:59

I did it with both dds, but unfortunately only did the official photo shoot with dd2, which frequently makes dd1 jealous when people come round and admire the pictures!

foofi · 07/04/2008 21:00

Yes, I think it's worth it. It's exercise and water safety so it's never wasted, but you really need to keep it up regularly if you want to keep their love of swimming going.

K999 · 07/04/2008 21:01

Water babies definately worth the money! We did two terms but had to stop because of dd2's excema. It is getting better and we are planning to go back. My nephew also went and his underwater photos are fantastic! Do not have a bad word to say about them tbh.

yogimum · 07/04/2008 21:13

I've been going to a birthlight teacher which is a similiar philosophy on teaching swimming to children. Our lessons work out at about £8 per session but we pay per term. Well worth it. www.birthlight.com

WanderingTrolley · 07/04/2008 21:20

I've done these sorts of classes - I think it's great tbh. It gets you out, for one thing and even though it's expensive it is good fun ime.

Original poster

LittleMissBliss · 07/04/2008 22:04

Thankyou for all yor replies, think i'll book for this term. It's something i've been thinking about for a while. And your positive stories have swung it for me!

OP posts:

Original poster

LittleMissBliss · 07/04/2008 22:04

Thankyou for all yor replies, think i'll book for this term. It's something i've been thinking about for a while. And your positive stories have swung it for me!

OP posts:

Original poster

LittleMissBliss · 07/04/2008 22:05

oops!

OP posts:

MorocconOil · 07/04/2008 22:10

I did something similar for DS1 but not for DS2.
DS2 just went to the parent and toddler swim session at the local leisure centre. DS2 is actually now the better swimmer. They are now 6 and 8.
However I really enjoyed the formal classes I did with DS1 and think the parent gains more than the child from them. It made me feel more confident about taking a small baby swimming.

weeonion · 07/04/2008 22:14

ok - i dont want to sound like a negative force here, and must stress that it may only be the way things have been run for our classes but ---

I have not been that impressed with them. we are now in our 4th term but rarely have we had a good run of classes. they have been cancelled at the last minute due to problems at the pool, boilers broken etc etc. this has meant the babies havent had the consistency to really apply, remember and practie what we have learnt the week before. the pool has rarely been at the correct temp so the bubbas have been cold, with some classes ending after 20mins. i havent went for the photshoot as yet - and i do think some of them are fab but alot of the parents in our class regret having spent the £40 to attend the photshoot and end up with a pic of a floating head with closed eyes and bubbles.

as i say - it might just be the franchise that we are booked with and not indicative of waterbabies as a whole.

evenhope · 07/04/2008 22:35

We do waterbabies and DD loves it. The pool we go to is very warm, unlike a normal swimmingpool. The aim is to get them water-confident at this stage rather than actually swimming- like knowing to turn back to the side and hold on if they fall in water accidentally.

elkiedee · 07/04/2008 22:59

I took ds to paid for classes but at local council sports centres, and also to a free thing funded through Surestart near me. I heard about the Surestart sessions first but then couldn't get any information from the pool until an NCT person told me they were still going.

I think you get more confident about taking a baby swimming by going, and also, I don't think I would have got my act together to go so many times if it hadn't been either a booked class or a regular parent and baby session to go to.

I'm going to try and book on to weekend classes since I'm now back at work, but don't seem to have been sent the link for rebooking at the pool we went to before.

stealthsquiggle · 07/04/2008 23:03

I did something similar with Little Dolphins - it worked out about £9 per session, the still photos were included but you could opt for an extra session where you got a video (I didn't, but I love DD's photo).

ThingOne · 07/04/2008 23:10

We have done water babies and it has been great. We're now in the fourth term. Worth every penny. We haven't done a photo shoot.

geordieminx · 08/04/2008 20:34

What Weeonion said..

Very unorgansied, term of 10 lessons 3 cancelled. Different teachers, changing rooms freezing.

Also I know there are people who have had some great pics but a few of the mummies in our class had them done and had a real negative experience - you have to pay £40 just to attend, you get 3 chances and thats it, there was a real pressure to buy the pics even if they werent great, with them saying that you should buy the larger pics at £150 each as opposed to the smaller ones as the quailty is better.

As WO said this is just our experience (we went to same class) and if its a franchise then things might be better in your area - just checked you arent in Glasgow

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