Toddlers and babies learning to swim

[justneedsomesleep]

Hi all,
I'm looking for some hints/tips/ideas on teaching my daughter to swim.
We are going on holiday for 3 weeks and will have a pool so want to make full use of it. She is 2.5 and has been swimming on and off since about 4 or 5 months usually just messing around with arm bands on.
Is this age too young to learn? What age did your children swim?
I'm not thinking that she will definetely be swimming by the end of the holiday but am thinking its a good opportunity to make some progress.
I also have a 6 month old son - what should I be doing with him in the water (he's only been in a pool once since he was born).

Thanks in advance.

Going on holiday next friday!!!!

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I thought that children don't learn to actually swim untl 3-4.

Your 6 mo shouldn't be in the water for longer than 30 mins- or less if the water is cold. Just hold him in the water and splash him around a bit

At 2.5, really all she wants to be doing is enjoying the water, messing about with her armbands on, and having a good time.

If shes water confident, then she'll prob learn to swim of her own accord when the time is right.

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My dd's been going swimming regularly since she was 4 months old as both her brothers swim - she loved splashing around as a baby and toddler but we only started her on lessons last year when she was 4.5 - all that experience in the pool made her very 'water confident' so it was only about 3 weeks before she was jumping in the deep end (under supervision of course!) - she's now swimming something that's recognisable as front crawl and rudimentary back stroke but still really enjoys it

I'd just carry on with her messing around and having fun - you might find one of the float suits useful (swimming cossie with floats inserted into pockets on tummy and back) rather than armbands as they don't interfere with them learning how to use their arms in the same way

I would get shot of the armbands for a start. As Mimsmum says, they interfere with arm movement.

definitely agree with getting rid of the armbands.

Tried them with my DD1 but she felt very awkward in them and had little confidence as a result - we moved over to a float vest and within a few weeks she had gone from being a panic-monster into a happy free-swimming 3 year old. DD2 is 2 years younger and swims unheld with just a float vest on - as they get more confident you just remove a pair of floats at a time until they are swimming unaided.

IMO both are too young for formal swim training. Now is the time for learning to feel happy and confident in the water, that is the best base you can build for water saftey. Let them get used to being splashed and let them see you enjoy the water too. Make sure they are both warm enough in the pool, you can get mini neoprene wetsuits for both your children's ages if you like. We use them a lot when we go swimming - they pay for themselves as we get more swimming in for our money as the children aren't cold after 30 mins.

Happy holidaying