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Original poster

what age did your child learn to swim? did you teach them yourself?

23 replies

nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:06

dd1 is desperate to swim and i take her twice a week usually

she can 'swim' with armbands

where do i go from here?

she is 4 this week

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Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:07

the pool we go to has a swim teacher, who does 1 to 1 lessons, but i am wondering if dd1 is too young?

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Enid · 02/10/2006 15:07

dd2 started this term (4 in 2 weeks)

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:09

started lessons?

how is she getting on

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Tawnymuaahhhaaahhhaaahhhaa · 02/10/2006 15:10

My DD finally mastered it this summer on holiday. There is no stopping her now. She is 7

HuwEdwards · 02/10/2006 15:12

I think they need to build upper body strength so the lessons are quite useful for that. DD is 5, nearly 6 and she can manage about a width.

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:13

so the lessons are £10 a pop! would one a fortnight be enough? methinks not

or yes?

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Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:13

she is sssssssssooooooooooo keen

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madmarchscare · 02/10/2006 15:15

DS (nearly three) is almost there without armbands. Weve been having lessons for a few months with about four children to one instructor.

Enid · 02/10/2006 15:16

yes she is doing really well

but dd1 is super fabby swimmer so we have always gone as a family since she was tiny

she is in a group of 6 and they have a lot of fun

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:18

OK, i think i might book her in for lessons then, thanks

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Mum2Ela · 02/10/2006 15:19

DD has been going to lessons at our local leisure centre since she was a baby and is now in level 3 ('swimmers' - as opposed to 'non-swimmers'). She is doing really well - can swim over 5 metres on her own and is great at breast stroke, not so goos with front crawl.

Does your local leiure centre offer lessons? We pay about £28.00 for 10 weeks (there are usually about 10 children in a class).

admylin · 02/10/2006 15:20

I took mine (ds age 8 and dd nearly 7) before summer because when we ever tried to teach them before it never worked out so I sent them to lessons twice a week and ds managed to get his first test passed so he is officially a swimmer, but dd still didn'nt manage it - will give it a go next term maybe with a different teacher. The other kids in the class were mostly between 5 and 6 years old and only about half managed to learn to really swim which I thought a poor sign for the teacher. I took them twice a week for 3 months.

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:21

the local leisure centre has classes and they are booked for about 2 years the receptionist said

too long!

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Mum2Ela · 02/10/2006 15:23

Nailpolish is that 1 to 1 classes or mixed?

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:25

the leisure centre is mixed

i go to a gym that has a swim teacher, which is 1 to 1, £10 a lesson

woudl once a fortnight be ok?

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Mum2Ela · 02/10/2006 15:28

I think once a fortnight would be fine, especially with a one to one teacher. You can still take her in between, to ensure that the 'fun' factor of going swimming doesn't get lost, though I should imagine they would keep the lessons pretty fun (but ykwim).

madmarchscare · 02/10/2006 15:30

Could you make up the week inbetween on your own and practice stuff from the week before? I would say its definately worth it.

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:30

thanks mumtoela, thats reassuring

i just couldnt afford £10 every week, every fortnight is a bit better

i just want to make sure its going ot be worthwhile tho, shes not too young iyswim

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Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:32

i take her twice a week as it is.

also, would i have to be there? would the teacher want me to stay or go?

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Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 15:33

i think she would be better if i WASNT there

or at least not in the water

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madmarchscare · 02/10/2006 15:36

I have to go in the pool, but they dont wear armbands at all so..... I supose it will depend if she can stand on the bottom on her own. Is it shallow enough? Private and gym pools can often not be.

Mum2Ela · 02/10/2006 15:46

I wouldnt have thought they would want you in the water tbh, not at 4 yo.

In our pool they stop the parents going in when they move from parent and child to level 1, at aged 3.

They use woggles and floats in level 1 and 2 then.

Original poster
nailpolish · 02/10/2006 16:02

no, she cant stand on the bottom of the pool

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