Having a morning swim with DD in the week is impossible! Is this the norm arouond the UK???

[greyriver]

Just back from hol and DD just adores the water, I vow when i get home to start taking her swimming every week. It now becomes apparant after a few phone calls that everywhere within a 15 mile radius is CLOSED to the public between 9am and 12!! They are either closed for schools or other fitness classes etc. The only opening times available are noon until 2pm and 5pm tp 7pm the worst possilbe times for either a tired or hungry 2yo! Surely there is a huge market place for mums and kiddies pre-school age between these times? Are you able to swim mid-week mornings with your children? And if not, would you if you could??

xxx

I've pretty much given up on using public pools , it's the same around here.

Cant you go earlier?

Our local pools have public sessions 7-9.

jeremyvile thats adults only time! Or should I say oap time

impossible with public pools so always go to the kids pool at the gym. It does close in the AM for baby swim clases but is opent from 1pm to 8pm the rest of the time which is fine

it is the same in the pools round here - toddler pool only open 12.15-1.45 at one (when are you supposed to eat ?!), and 2-4 at the other (have to pick up at school at 3.15 10 miles away).

And at weekends they don't open til 10am (surely most little kids are up early - not like teenagers !).

I have no idea what they do the rest of the time - surely it can't be schools/lessons all that time ?

Our local pools aren't too bad I think.

The one linked to the nearby school - so a proper pool, not leisure pool, has an Under 5s warm water session for £5:
MONDAY 10.00AM UNTIL 11.45AM
TUESDAY 1.30PM UNTIL 3.30PM

One of the leisure pool's fun pool (not the lane swimming bit) is open from 9am.

And the leisure pool in town has a Ducklings (parent and toddler) session on Wednesday at 10.30am-11.30am, and Friday at 9.30am-12.00pm.

might be worth checking Greyriver what they are closed for.
One of our local pools advertises that it's teaching pool is 'closed' in the mornings but when you enquire, the reason it is 'closed' is because the council are running little Duckling groups. You don't have to book for them, just turn up when you wish, and the cost is actually cheaper than a normal swim.

we are lucky and they have 'ducklings' session in our local pool from 10-12 one day a week with teachers on the side to help you. Its always really busy and perfect for us as the LOs sleep after!!!!

our local pool is an open air one (so only open in summer)and used to do an under 5's session (with adults obv) between 12-1.30! The hottest part of the day !!

Gosh, we must be lucky. Ours is open 6.00am to 10.00pm every day and, apart from two 'adult only' evening sessions, you can take children any time. There are two baby swim sessions a week and two toddler sessions. Even if there are schools in, they keep half the pool open for the public. Get in touch with all your local toddler groups, start a petition and demand a toddler session one morning!

My local pool is open from 8am for parents and babies.

Basically I think school hours (certainly the mornings) is school swimming time.

Our pool is open to all at least two mornings a week and there is always loads going on in the baby pool.

I was cross when new pool opened and the timetable stated that every afternoon after school was clubs so no public swimming but there was a barrage of complaints and they changed it.

Worth writing a letter?

No such problems here. Even when they have classes they often only take half the pool, so the other half is open to the public.