Any swimming experts??

[welliwasntexpectingthat]

I took my son (just turned 5) to his first swimming lesson. He was booked into the most beginner lesson. They said because he is 5 then he has to swim in water just out his depth. This is purely because they say he is too old to go into the "fun" younger group where he can stand and do games and get confident. He looks terrified and bored and is armbanded up yo death. Is this the right approach?

When mine had lessons they didn't use armbands. Lessons were also in shallow water at that age

Doesn't sound right. All pools around here have 'stage 1' lessons for preschoolers and separate ones for school age kids but essentially the same level starting off for total beginners. 5 year old D's started a few weeks ago, all taught in teaching pool that he can comfortably stand in. Now moved up to stage 2 and it's the same depth.

My 5 y/o started 6 month ago. He started in pool out of his depth. They didn’t use arm bands but noodles. He’s now swimming unaided.

I'm a swimming teacher and I would never use arm bands not have a complete beginner out of their depth.

Noodles and floats and lots of fun games

I knew it didn't sound right. They kept saying it was because he was school age but it's not instilling water confidence, quite the opposite!

Da didn't use arm bands but did have noodles and floats and definitely wasn't out of depth

Every area is different to be honest.

Ours uses armbands. I know others don't.

In ours when you're 5 you're in stage one. They always have the depth so they can stand up so they're not in any danger. And armbands (however many that's needed)
But I wouldn't say it's really fun and games though it is actually about learning and technique

The fun and games was when they were under 5 years in duckling classes (when we were in with them)

I used to teach swimming. I never used armbands and I happily had non swimmers out of their depth - often it's better if they can't put their feet down and it depends on the facilities available. However I would always teach stage one, two and potentially three from in the water right next to the learners.

Our pool doesn't have a shallow bit. My preschool is learning to swim in it with a noodle and he can nearly swim.

I'm less sure about armbands tbh. Unless for a very short time

Armbands are wrong to teach swimming because they keep you in vertical position. To swim you must buy horizontal in water not vertical. I would maybe look for another swimming school

Watching the stage 1 lessons at our local pool - the approach seems to differ depending on the teacher/group. My DD's teacher uses float belts for those that need it, but another teacher uses arm discs. The stage 1 lessons are out of depth, just because the shallow end isn't that shallow.

But the lessons are all about water confidence at that age, irrespective of the teacher.

Mine started at 7 in the baby pool (lazy parent alert, but he’s grade 5 already at 8 so not the worst thing) and he had no water confidence. He would have freaked out like that!

I used to teach swimmin, too, and Did my best to cater to the individual children in my groups. If I’d have had a child looking terrified, I would have absolutely changed approach. Terrified and learning to swim are not compatible, at all, in my experience.

Hope you’re able to find another group or solution OP!