Do children need swimming lessons?

[scattyspice]

DS is 5 and can swim with armbands (and underwater without!). All his friends have swimming lessons, but he is reluctant to go (he gets shy in groups where he doesn't know anyone).

Has anyone successfully taught their DC to swim without lessons or is he missing out by not going?

[snorkle]

I think there's a lot of mystique about teaching swimming - it's really not that difficult. There are books and videos on the subject and I think many parents could do much more themselves if they only had the confidence to. At 5, lessons could be counterproductive if he's reluctant. So unless you particularly want him to be an olympic swimmer, I'd get a few books from the library and give it a go yourself - he can always have some lessons to refine his technique when he's older if it's needed.

[christywhisty]

Parents can teach to swim but not necessarily to swim properly ie breathing, good strokes etc You can usually tell the dc's who have been taught by their parents.

[thumbwitch]

having read tortoiseshell's post and not understood most of what she's on about, I will DEFINITELY be making sure that DS gets proper lessons

[SueW]

I taught my niece enough to cross a pool about 5m wide from her having armbands on, when she was about 5yo.

I started by crouching in the water close to the side and facing it. She then stood on my knees and reached out for the side, easy. Then gradually, very slowly moving further and further back requiring her to doggy paddle and kick to get to the side. It took most of an afternoon to get her to doggy paddle across the pool. She'd being going to lessons for a while though and not learnt anything as she didn't like water on her face; she just needed someone in the pool to give her confidence. Oh and we were out of her depth but not mine in the pool we were in so no opportunity to cheat.

I wouldn't try to teach more than that though. She went to lessons as soon as she got home.

[scattyspice]

Thanks guys.

Ds is confident in water, just not confident in groups a bit like tortoiseshell's DD (they seem so similst tort, we keep meeting on threads lol).

From some of the jargon mentioned (norkle?) I guess there is more to it than meets the eye (I was hoping it would be like walking ie they just do it ).

Peachy / snorkle good idea to get a book / vid and maybe try taking him on my own (without DD), if he is really resistant to having lessons. Private lessons might be a bit exp at the mo.

Moondog, I totally agree that going swimming regularly with the family is more important than lesson, I'm gonna do this anyway (what else is ther on a wet Sat aft anyway?)

Cheers.

If

[jeddy]

DD (7) learnt to swim with her grandad. i can't swim so never had the confidence to take her to the pool myself. he took her swimming nearly every saturday, kept it really relaxed and fun. little steps. less than a year until the armbands came off and she could swim really well.

[Majeika]

We have swum regularly as a family. I play sharks and 'Primeval ' with them and go under the water and grab their ankles, we hold our breath for as long as we can, we play sealions and crawl under the water to see who can do it for longest.

We all love it.

But, they do not want to do the learning with me. They want to play and splash and have fun and be silly. Fine by me.

DS1 shows DS2 how to do glides and mushroom floats and DS2 copies but they need proper swimming lessons (IMHO) to learn how to breathe properly and they are both doing brilliantly.

And it suits us.

[tortoiseshell]

Scattyspice - they obviously came from the same batch!

Majeika - that's interesting. In dd's case, she wouldn't learn in the lessons at all - partly because the stress of 'having to get it right in the lesson' (which is one of her characteristics, she is very perfectionist) was too much, and so she did nothing rather than get it wrong.

But when I take her she is lovely - does what I say, is making great progress. In a way I have the advantage of having watched 2 years of ds1's lessons, so have an idea of what the teachers do . Maybe she will need lessons later on, but atm she is better without them.

Ds1 on the other hand REALLY needed the lessons to get his confidence, despite having been swimming weekly with me for YEARS!

[thebecster]

Have to say, this thread has really cheered me up. Whether your kids are having lessons or you're taking them yourselves, all of you care about your kids learning to swim properly - you're all great mums. So many kids never get taken swimming or to play sport at all. I'm evangelical about the importance of swimming for kids (for safety, social and exercise reasons combined), but my enthusiasm is often met with indifference from other mums in RL. It's understandable, as there are so many things we're supposed to do with our kids, and life is so hectic, but this is one that I think is really important, and I'm so glad to come across people who are enthusiastic about it too.

[Hulababy]

I think if you can take them yourself regularly, and can find a decent pool which is just a pool rather than a leisure pool, then you probably don't need lessons no.

DD is 6. She had lessons for a short while last year and with them for about 10-12 weeks, plus me taking her tpo the gym pool (no longer member) she was swimming unaided withint he first 5 or 6 weeks. She has since had a few lessons at school (saddy only done one term a year). She can swim uaided onf ront and back, for a length - but hasn't much stamina and needs help with strokes.

But getting her into a decent swimming group is really hard. ost here have really long waiting lists, and those that don't are just not very good.

DD really didn't enjoy her lessons at all. The teacher was not good with discipline and 3 or 4 children in the class were really misbehaving every week, so little got done. DD got fed up, and cold waiting around.

But am looking again to see if we can find her a better group or a few one to one sessions perhaps.

[CountessDracula]

I think it helps to think of it like driving lessons

You need the lessons really
But it's how much time you spend between lessons actually doing it that counts.

DD can swim 50m on her back and 25 on her front unaided and tread water for ages. She is mega-confident but I have still enrolled her in swimming lessons starting in a couple of weeks as I want her to be taught the strokes, breathing etc properly.

I am planning to take her, get in and swim myself for half an hour while she is having the lesson (good exercise!) then stay for a while afterwards.

[AtheneNoctua]

I'm confused. Don't most kids learn to swim at school?

DD doesn't take swimming, but she has it at school. I could sign her up for swimming but really how many sports can a five year old really do?? We've already got tennis, ballet, tap, and modern dance. (ballet, tap and modern are all on the same day)

But, I think she should have some days where there are no set activities so she can play with friends or just take it easy.

But now I'm thinkin Oh God I have failed by not giving her swimming lessons...

[nailpolish]

well round here they get swimming lessons at school - but not til age 13 or so

mine are 5 and 3 and we go swimming 2-3 times a week and i basically got fed up with armbands and i wanted them to swim independently

12 half hour swimming lessons later and they can both swim front and back stroke 2 lengths of the pool

makes going to the pool so much easier when they can run and jump in with loads of confidence. more fun for them too

[PortAndLemon]

I can't swim, though (or only doggy paddle), so unlikely to be able to teach DCs. And part of the reason I can't swim is that my mother (who is/was a good swimmer) thought I would just absorb it naturally from splashing around, having fun and waiting for it to come naturally.

I am fantastically uncoordinated, though (can only just about ride a bike). Maybe the more physically gifted can "just learn".

[PoorOldEnid]

sorry havent read thread

yes from 5 onwards
no before

[nailpolish]

i disagree enid
my 3 yr old can now swim 2 lengths well
better than her 5 yr old sister actually

[AtheneNoctua]

My uncle who very wealthy and very very cocky used to sail a lot in his million dollar (I kid you not) sail boat. He doesn't know how to swim and when he used to beup on the bow of the boat without a life jacket, we used to snicker about our oppotunity to push him in...

[McDreamy]

5 seems to be the magic age in the UK. Friends that have tried to get lessons earlier have been told it's not worth it because they won't be able to swim unaided as they are not strong enough.

Not the approach in the med. Lessons start from the age of 3 generally. Children get taught with the use of noodles/spaghettis and not armbands as the noodles keep them in the correct swimming position whereas armbands/ floatation jackets keep you upright. DD was swimming unaided from the age of 3.5 and she is not a natural, some of the children under the age of 5 here are amazing little swimmers.

[CountessDracula]

I know plenty of under 5s who can swim

[tortoiseshell]

my kids' school take them from Y1

[pigleto]

Mine learned to swim without aids from 4. I think being on holiday and spending a lot of time every day in the pool helps.

[Hulababy]

Round here children can't start proper swimming lessons, without the parent being in pool with them, until they turn 5y.

[believeintheboogie]

I tried to teach my dd but got no where, she has had swimming lessons for 3 weeks and is thriving and swimming 20 metres unaided.

I think it depends on the child, dd thrives in structured enironments so took to it.

Her old school used to take them from reception as had a pool on site (state school) but closed the pool and changed it to year 5 when she started

In my opinion year 5 is way too late to take them, why not do it in reception/year one when they arent doing formal work at school as such.

[bozza]

I think a lot depends on the child. I am blessed with children who will not listen to me but are perfect angels (well not quite in DS's case - he does sometimes get chatting) for their teachers.

DH can't swim so it is down to me. DS is 7 and can now swim 25m and is confident jumping in at the deep end and going under water. But it has taken a long time and a lot of lessons. I do try and take him as well when I get chance but not always easy. With DD (4) she is a better swimmer than her confidence levels - has quite a neat breast stroke but will not take her polystyrene ring off.

[bozza]

It's 6 round here before the parent doesn't have to go in, so another two years to go with DD.