How old were your dc when they could swim?

[Greencordpinkflower]

Just wondering how old children tend to be when they can swim independently (I don’t mean you’d let them in the pool alone but when you don’t have to hold onto them!)

My child is definitely not a “Mumsnet child” but he was starting to sail and paddle board at 3, although I am an instructor in both so we’re unusual.

He could functionally swim a width at 3, but took ages to do his stages and a few kids from his class have caught him up now in stage 5 in mid y2.

It’s a question of priorities, swimming was a priority for us so he was in the water from tiny and in lessons from 18m. I don’t want to have to constantly worry about him when we are on the water as a family.

DD (4.2 years) has been swimming once a week (barring illness, holidays, or class cancellation) since 21 months. She's been in a class where parents aren't needed in the water for about 7-8 months. She can just about kick herself 10m with a noodle and arm floats. She sinks without them. She won't put her face in the water without goggles, or jump in without hand holding.

However, it's still a far cry from what she could (and would) do at 3. So I guess the lessons have done some good. Sadly they're having to stop after next week, as she's having grommets put in.

Mine could swim 25m at 3yo but it was a kind of doggy paddle, mainly under the water coming up every few metres for a breath! She was 5 before she could do proper strokes.

7 - but Covid had closed the pools for a while when he was 5, so that delayed things.

I saw that. Not a surprise for a 3yo human. They must've thought it was a Labrador...

@sunglassesonthetable "Someone says to mine, do you want to come surfing with us ?- they don't have to go off and learn to swim first."

I'm not saying they shouldn't learn to swim. I just thing that for most children, they don't need to swim as early as the people whose business is swimming lessons would like us to believe. It's so expensive and so stressful when taking them to the pool to play every weekend will mean they're swimming without lessons by 7 or 8.

Don’t worry Op, my 3 year old can’t swim. He actually doesn’t like the water, probably because our local pool is cold. He prefers water parks.

My friend’s 3 year old is very advanced in most areas but can’t swim as her mum is allergic to chlorine, so they don’t go swimming.

My other friend’s 3 year old can swim but she’s been going to weekly lessons at a nice heated david lloyd pool.

DD started lessons at 6 (huge waiting list not helped by Covid), I'd say it was about 6 months to a year before she was confident. She's 9 now and an excellent swimmer, she's got all the skills and is currently working on her stamina.

DS started at 4. He's 5 now and slowly getting the hang of it. He's very good with his legs but gets muddled when he has to do arms as well. But what he lacks in skill he more than makes up for in enthusiasm!

We're not a sporty family at all but they love swimming.

I'm not saying they shouldn't learn to swim. I just thing that for most children, they don't need to swim as early as the people whose business is swimming lessons would like us to believe. It's so expensive and so stressful when taking them to the pool to play every weekend will mean they're swimming without lessons by 7 or 8.

I can't speak for this swimming lesson conspiracy but I don't think it's too early for a child to be able to swim and be confident in the water.

I'd say it's definitely a life skill and not malarkey. You don't have to have " professional"lessons.

You think MNetters lie about when their kids learn to swim and it's not a life skill. ( But your kids are a special instance )

These days most people get near the sea or have a river or canal or pool in the vicinity.

Honestly you just want to see the negative in this.

She was 7 when she could swim independently, covid delayed things quite a lot

I take my DD (3 next week) to a weekly mums and toddlers swimming session with 0-4 year olds. There is only one child who can swim and her mum is one of the lifeguards! My DD is the next best "swimmer" as she can confidently swim with armbands on whereas every other child is held by a parent/balanced on a float almost all of the time.

I’ve heard that armbands aren’t good for learning to swim. I don’t know if that’s true or not though, I’m not a swimming teacher.

@Dyra i honestly thought you’d written your DD had been in the water alone SINCE 7 or 8 months 😂

In my view, armbands are great. My DD learnt to swim as each time we went to the pool I would inflate them a little less.

I remember going to a leisure pool when DD was about 4 and watching the Lifeguard climb down off his chair and grab his float when he saw DD walking at the side of the pool without armbands. She jumped in and doggy paddled off and he very visibly relaxed (and yes, I was right there next to her). She's always been a water baby though.

Both could swim by 3, DS1 could swim before he could put a sentence together, they are all different.

Oldest about six and a half - they developed massive phobia about being in the water without someone holding them between ages 3-6, and I saw a lot of advice saying it's not that uncommon between exactly those ages and there is just nothing you can do but wait until they are about 6 and then they'll get over it. Which is exactly what happened- stopped needing holding at 6, and then within a few months managed to swim without floatation devices.

DS picked it up at about 6 when we sent him on an intensive course one half term - he liked water but with his ADHD was never very coordinated, so he needed a lot of reminding to kick his legs hard enough.

NB, I couldn't swim unaided until I was 9!

Despite DD starting at about 6 weeks of age with baby swimming. We did have a break at one point, then restart around 3 years old. She must have been about 6 before she progress to the big pool as she just wasn't confident in the water.

This child now swims 6 times a week @16. She found her motivation at 7 when she was determined to do a triathlon. She only just learned to swim 25 meters before the event and I wasn't sure she'd make the whole length, but she was very determined.

DC1 was three years old. DC2 before their first birthday. DC2 went to a baby class and 'got' swimming before walking.

Age 6 I think. We went on holiday to a pool hotel. And spent a week teaching her every day. Better than lessons to learn at first.

Learning on holiday in a pool. With other kids. Also jumping in. Is best.

DD1 4, DD2 3 fro anything resembling a proper stroke, but bobbing around independently probably a year earlier. No lessons but we took them regularly and we are strong swimmers. They're also pretty brave/fearless kids

Learning on holiday in a pool. With other kids. Also jumping in. Is best.

Agree. They come on leaps and bounds and gAin so much confidence.

DS is 6, and has been what I’d describe as “safe” in the pool for about a year (I’d say when he was in level 3 classes). He didn’t need/want holding onto before that, but he also didn’t have the sense for me to let him get too far away from me in case he did something stupid and inhaled some water. He was happily racing me on the pool noodle, out of his depth, from age 4, but I definitely felt I needed to stay within grabbing distance.

We did a beach holiday at the end of reception and at the end of year 1, and at the end of year 1 I was ok with him going in the pool and diving for toys while I was sitting on the side (still watching closely), whereas I would never have let him do that the previous year.

DS is 9 and still can't swim properly. He can probably do about 10 m or something, maybe more if he was required to but I wouldn't describe him as an independent swimmer yet. For that I'd want to see him swim 50m or so confidently. He's been having lessons since 5 and we've tried all different ones.

I'm swimming teacher it's rare I see 5 year olds swimming independently and certainly not to the standard required for them to be safe. I say the average age is between 7-8 years old totally depends on where they have been taught though as standards differ. Many parents class doggy paddle as swimming which is very worrying, for me swimming properly is good body position, good breathing and been able to swim with ease not scrambling and gasping for air been able to breathe to the side.

DD got her 25m badge when she was 2 and a half. This is unusual though.