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Original poster

18 month old activity. Toddler 'swimming' or an organised craft class?

28 replies

ekra · 22/03/2007 09:43

DD2 is 18 months and I need to get out the house with her a little more often whilst DD1 is at Pre-school.

Starting after Easter I can either book a term of toddler splash classes or a term at an organised craft group. DD2 will be 19 months when the classes commence. The craft class says from 18 months upwards.

Which would you choose? I'm terribly indecisive this morning!

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Original poster
ekra · 22/03/2007 10:41

Come on. Pick one and I will book it. I have no preference.

Perhaps because it is my second child I am not that enthusiastic about either of them

OP posts:
LucyJones · 22/03/2007 10:42

craft
But I hate swimming

sar123 · 22/03/2007 10:42

swimming? uses up more energy, is physical exercise, and useful to learn for later in life???

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hana · 22/03/2007 10:43

Is it swimming with you? I'd do that. Craft you can do at home, swimming not so easy!

malaleche · 22/03/2007 10:43

craft - the chlorine is bad for them

Clary · 22/03/2007 10:45

swimming

mamama · 22/03/2007 10:47

Swimming

(DS, 18 months loves it)

WinkyWinkola · 22/03/2007 11:56

Swimming every time. Craft is too fiddly at this age. She could just get frustrated with it. Swimming will exhaust her too and she'll sleep very well. Everyone should know how to swim. Great fun.

PinkTulips · 22/03/2007 11:59

swimming!

Enid · 22/03/2007 12:01

swimming

she will get bored of craft

(and we are all v crafty here)

Othersideofthechannel · 22/03/2007 12:07

swimming

FrannyandZooey · 22/03/2007 12:13

I know this is going to sound terribly poncy but at this age. I would choose something which let them be more creative and wasn't so structured. The craft thing will almost certainly be "make a tiger out of pipe cleaners, look you do it like THIS" (toddler copies exact model with mum doing most of the work). Swimming is an important skill but I would say aged 18 m o it is more important to be having fun and becoming confident in the water rather than having lessons.

Could you just visit the pool once a week for the same money, or find a group which is more "play" based and not so goal oriented? I could be completely wrong about the craft group of course, in which case I would go for that.

Original poster
ekra · 22/03/2007 14:22

I've tried for the past 18 months to find an unstructured toddler group to take DD2 and haven't enjoyed any. I need to commit myself to a scheduled pre-paid activity else I end up staying at home finding a million other things to do whilst DD1 is at Pre-school.

I did wonder if the craft group would be too young for her. DD2 sis just hitting the frustrated stage and I can't imagine her being that into crafts.

Swimming it is. I'm sure it will be for the purposes of water confidence based around songs and games. I took DD1 at a similar age and she enjoyed it.

Thank you. See, I can make decisions with a little help from you lot.

OP posts:
Tamz77 · 22/03/2007 14:27

My DS wouldn't have been remotely interested in craft at 18 months but he's been swimming since he was a few weeks old and always loved it.

It's not only useful to learn it's essential and the thing is, while they're learning they're also having fun. Also the 'toodler splash class' title doesn't sound like it's too formal.

I did a craft class with my ds when he was a bit older than 18 months and the thing is, once they've had enough (after about ten minutes in our case) it just gets annoying...you've paid for it so you want to stay...they're running around like a maniac wanting to throw glitter over everybody...loads of older kids sitting nicely not wanting to be disrupted...

Of course your DD might be different!

Azure · 22/03/2007 14:30

As the mum of a 19-month old I would definitely say swimming - my one would have no concentration to do craft at all. Having said that the classes he goes to (and loves) are music and gym based. He does love the swimming pool too, but doesn't do a class.

Original poster
ekra · 22/03/2007 14:31

Oh god yes, you're reminding me why the craft class is a bad idea. And then I have to bring some piece of sticky junk home with me and find a place for it.

OP posts:
MorocconOil · 22/03/2007 14:33

Swimming definitely.

Louise2004 · 22/03/2007 14:33

Swimming, without a doubt

DivaSkyChick · 22/03/2007 19:53

Is clorine an issue or no? Does anyone know for sure?

LazyLine · 22/03/2007 20:00

Swimming. I take my 18MO to toddler groups where they do crafts and he just eats it all

nikkie · 22/03/2007 20:06

Lots of pools don't use chlorine now(not actually sure of what the replacement is though)

jeangenie · 22/03/2007 20:10

some pools filter over UV light apparantly - dunno how that works

jeangenie · 22/03/2007 20:10

instead of chlorine, I mean

adath · 24/03/2007 19:42

Swimming here too, dd and I went to a toddler class and it was fantastic great fun and was all about building water confidence through play rather than actually teaching them to swim and now dd still loves swimming and goes to classes for older children now.
Craft at that age was a bit poinless it was me that ended up doing most of it at that young I doubt she would get much out of it probably a bit too structured.

grumpyfrumpy · 24/03/2007 19:47

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