Teaching toddler to swim?

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I've never done any formal swimming classes worn my DS (age 3)and have only recently started taking him. He has a buoyancy life jacket thing he wears. Is it realistic to think I can teach him to swim myself? If so how do I do it?!

Of course you can teach the basics, that's what we are doing and our 2.5 year old can now do a messy doggy paddle with armbands.

We did a couple lessons when she was 1 so learnt some tricks there. Take a toy/ball to the pool, throw it a little bit away, use your hand to support under the tummy, then make him swim to the toy. Tell him to kick his legs or pretend he's crawling. Just have fun and make a game out of it. Teach him to climb in & out of the pool just at the sides.

If he doesn't put his face in the water get him to do that and blow bubbles. Face in the water helps legs stay on the water and keeps the body horizontal.

Thank you both,any other tips appreciated! X

We have taught our twins to swim (and still are as they are only 2). We've been taking them since they were 3 months so they got used to the water from an early age. Once their confidence was good we started them off with armbands and would hold them until they gained confidence to bob about in those. It was only 2 sessions before they were going down the slides into the water and jumping off the sides for us to catch them in the water! We are about to progress to a pool noodle under their chests/tummies and a small kickboard to help with positioning in the water
So it's all very possible to do without paid lessons

Find some youtube videos on teaching kids to swim as there are good ideas and tips in those. Just hold them in the water with you and give them time to adjust and gain confidence. Just edge them away from you gradually and encourage them to kick their legs. When they see they can move themselves through the water it will help boost their confidence too

I taught DD to swim at 2y 2m.

4 months later, she was comfortably swimming a length (25m).

We used a SwimFin rather than a buoyancy jacket. Kept it on her for 12ish hours of swimming, just making sure that she used it to get around the pool on her own.

Then, took it off and let her go. Told her to swim. She panicked for a few seconds, then pulled herself together and swam 5+ metres.

Next few visits to the pool were less successful. She kept going vertical and panicking. I then suggested she put her face in the water to swim. Instantly horizontal, straight across the pool again, tipping her head up for breaths like it was all she'd ever known.

I can't say for sure that it's the magic tool for everyone, but would really recommend the SwimFin based on my experience.

If I do go down the formal lessons route what she is best to start dyou think?

Not until she can listen to instructions and concentrate enough for the 20-30mins and will put her face in the water
We started DD age 4.

DD started formal lessons at just 3 and now at 3.5 is swimming unaided. Her concentration drops in lessons if she's particularly tired that day but generally she's absolutely fine. I think it helps that the other children in the class are older (4/5) so she copies them.

DD2 is 23 months and swims up and down with arm discs, she'll start lessons at 3 too.

Can anyone recommend me some good armbands for a 3 yr old? What's better a life jacket thing or arm bands dyou think?

Our swim teacher said not to use arm bands as they position you wrong in the water, but to use one of those long sausage noodly things.
Our 2.5 yo was so tiny the noodles were too buoyant, so we bought some pipe insulation and used that!