Water Babies anyone?

[TennisShoes]

Has anyone done Water Babies with a toddler? Mine is 12 mo but walking, and due to pandemic we've been on waiting list since he was 6 months! A place has come up next week, but all the videos show little babies. Worried about how it will work with a wriggly determined toddler, as they don't use inflatables or anything. Will it still be okay?

He's never swum, again due to lockdowns, and I wanted to get him used to water.

It will be fine, you'll only have to wrestle with them for 30 minutes! I did 2 blocks, my little boy was about 18 months by the end of the second block. Most lessons it was just a battle to get him to understand and do what he was supposed to 🤷‍♀️ that's why I cancelled really. I think if they hate water it's worth it but if they love it and are quite happy getting their face, ears etc. wet it's a bit of a pain.

We did it from 4 months to two years with DS. at the time we thought it was wonderful, he had a great time. Now I just take my little one to the local baths. I think it’s a great thing to do but the cost is extortionate

I would just take them to the swimming baths yourself. I'm assuming water babies is an organised class where you have to do things at certain times. This doesn't really work with a toddler and water. At groups they are free to run around etc but can't do that in water.

Also it saves you money.

I did until he was a toddler. We did one term this year just before he turned 3 because this was the only activity available in the area and to get him back in water. Now our local is opened for swims and even classes so we are cancelling water babies for the local. Its almost a third of the price and not much different. Its more fun as babies (and gets mum or dad out) but as toddlers I feel they get so little out of it compared to the costs. Check out your local Better or other leisure centre

Does your local pool do toddler lessons?

We did water babies when DS was tiny. Not because we wanted him to swim, but because we wanted him to have a regular water activity so he wouldn't have a fear of swimming when he got older.

For small babies, water babies (or other similar companies) are ideal because they use very hot pools. Toddlers can cope with the cooler water and lessons at a public pool are a fraction of the cost. Water Babies customer service can be woeful too.

Not water babies but the lessons my child go to are aimed at birth to 2 years. At 21 months they are the oldest in their class but absolutely loves it. We started in April after lockdown lifted.