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Original poster

swimming

9 replies

lewislewis · 19/10/2005 20:08

What would my ds who is 2.1 learn at a swim lesson? Surely he cannot learn to swim so young? I am wondering this because ds loves fooling around in the pool and dp suggested enrolling him in a class, but I am worried that it will ruin the hour of fun we have in the water, and that neither of us will enjoy it. Would be great if he learnt to float, do you think he is too young? Any tips?

OP posts:
NannyL · 19/10/2005 20:16

No way do i think he is too younge

at little dippers they have them from any age (even tiny tiny babies) and essentially teach them tobe able to jump into the water and tun round and hold the side (a vital safety thing for if they were ever to fall in the pool)

i know several 2 year olds who are confident enough to float and some even do a few strokes in the water.

2 year olds CAN swim if given he chance. My youngest charge started her swimming lessons ALONE at 37 months, and my previosue charge was having swimming lessons alone (without mummy in the pool) at 2 and 3/4!

Give it a go, im sure he'll love it!

SirFurmum · 19/10/2005 20:35

My friend who runs a swimming school told me not to bother enrolling dd in classes! She said at this age it's all about teaching them water confidence. I once took dd swimming when a class was going on in another part of the pool. I watched and listened to what they were doing and tbh there was nothing they were doing that I couldn't do with her myself. I was a competitive swimmer though, and used to teach swimming (although never got a qualification) so I guess part of me thinks I should be able to do it myself.

I'll be interested to see what others think.

Nanny L - do they float and jump in etc without armbands?

flamebat · 19/10/2005 20:39

Oooh I'm interested too. My DD (2 1/2) has always been fairly fearless with the pool (even though we don't go very often), and decided last week that, after floating happily with armbands for an hour, that she could swim and didn't need them!!!

I sat her on my lap and explained what would happen, and she still insisted on jumping off me, and going under... came up spluttering, so I said I'd hold her up to swim, but she fought me off to do it by herself!!! She went under several times (I got glared at by the lifeguard, but it wasn't like I was letting her drown), but she was determined and happy. I can see her teaching herself to swim at this rate!!!

NannyL · 19/10/2005 21:16

Sirfurmum... thats right they DONT use arm bands... however they do sometimes use noodles / floats etc or other swimming 'aids', and soemtimes just hold onto the swimming teacher (or for example lie back resting their head on her shoulder)

It all seems to be... for example they choose a 'bath' toy and rest it on the float and have to try and not let it fall off (ie hold flaot steadily etc!)

First of all it seems to be about water confidence, getting head / face wet (ie playing with watering cans / blowing bubbles etc in the water...

i would definitely give it ago for my own children as and when i have them.... TBH i would start much younger (about 3 months) and just progress through all the classes from baby stage

I think they are all great!

Frizbe · 19/10/2005 21:22

We go to aqua tots and previous posters are right, its all about water confidence!
dd does, floating on front blowing balls through the water, and pushing balls through water, to get used to floating without holding onto mummy floating and pushing off side on back, learning to get ears in the water, today they've graduated to lying on steps on their fronts, blowing bubbles in water, whilst kicking legs, getting them used to the idea of floating on their own, same on backs with lots of leg kicking....they practice floating on noodles, with no/minimal arm floats on, and obvioulsy do fun stuff too, like sing song sessions, where they all get pulled around in a group, jumping out and getting back in etc etc
HTH'S

Saxy · 19/10/2005 21:38

My ds started "swimming lessons" when he was 5 months old. We sang nursery ryhmes which involved blowing in his face then dunking him in the water. This act built up confidence with water and he worked his way up through the different classes and now, at 4 1/2 years old is able to swim unaided. Chidren are never too young (or old for that matter ) to learn to swim.

spidermama · 19/10/2005 21:49

I used to stress endlessly because all the other kids were having swimming lessons but mine weren't. Now they're learning brilliantly just through playing. I'm just making sure I take them often. (once a week or once a fortnight).

We have a pool which they can all stand up in which slopes gradually down. that helps a lot.

moondog · 19/10/2005 21:54

I never sent my dd to lessons as I really enjoy swimming myself (never understood the concept of dragging your kids to the pool and then not getting in.)
She was jumping in alone at 15 mths and now at 4,can swim 25 metres no probs.
Mind you,we've spent bloody hours in the pool.

snailspace · 20/10/2005 13:01

Message withdrawn

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