Share your questions with Olympian Swimmer and dad Adam Peaty - £200 voucher to be won.

[EllieSmumsnet]

Do you want to get your child interested in swimming? Perhaps you are unsure on how to do so? This is your opportunity to ask Olympian Adam Peaty (Speedo Swim United Ambassador) about why swimming is great for your children and how you can help make sure they don’t miss out on this vital and enjoyable life skill.

1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to swim; and it’s only set to get worse. Find out more information here and sign the petition to help children stay safe in the water.

● Anyone that shared a question below by the 02/05/2023 will be eligible for the prize draw.

● Once lucky Mumsnet User will win a £200 Amazon voucher.

● Adam will be back online in a couple of weeks to answer a selection of your questions.

About Adam:
“This isn’t just about or meeting curriculum requirements, it’s about physical and mental health and, most importantly, saving lives and safe-guarding our children.

We need the government to support campaigns and initiatives such as Speedo Swim United if we are to give ourselves the best chance of success in the future”.

About Speedo Swim United:
“Swim United is our commitment to greater equity in the water, through learn to swim programme work, partnerships and communications we are working to help ensure all children can find their joy in the water.

Currently 1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to swim, of which the majority come from socially disadvantaged or ethnic minority backgrounds. At Swim united we’re connected by the shared belief that everyone belongs in the pool.

Our programme supports 7-to-12 year olds and their families to swim, based in some of the communities we know need the most support in England.

Swim United communications feature diverse community of swimmers who stand for inclusion in swimming. Discover Swim United at Speedo UK."

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

This Q&A is now closed.

What’s the best age to introduce kids to swimming/ start lessons in your opinion?

My child age 10 is not keen at learning to swim. After one term of swimming lessons through school they have stopped so they need to take the next group. She has progressed very slow and still no where near achieving 25m. Is it worth signing up for a fast track course? And how good are they at getting the child learn at a quicker pace?

What age is best to start teaching kids to swim in your experience? I have an 16 month old and am a bit wary also of finding someone to help teach swim lessons, are they regulated or can any old joe set themselves up as a swim instructor?

When would you consider a child to be classed as ‘safe in the water’ and able to give up swimming lessons?

is there a safety rating I can look at for my local swimming pool (in terms of lifeguards, and excessive use of chemicals (chlorine) in the water.
I'd like to let my 12 year old and her pals to the local pool - but want to know how safe it is (she is a good swimmer)

Armbands, float vest or a noodle ? what would be your preference when starting out and why ?

Being able to swim is a great asset - but not included in the lessons are the dangers of water (canals and reservoirs) when children are older - do you think the dangers of cold water should also be included in lessons (several young teens have lost their lives in canals and reservoirs near me in recent years)
Even if you can swim - cold water shock is a killer - thoughts

My daughter loves to play water polo, and while her club is thriving there aren't many local teams. She came to it after club swimming with its focus on speed at all else became unappealing - with water polo you get fun, camaraderie and fitness. Have you ever played, and what could be done to make this fantastic game more popular?

@Callmecordelia My 2dc play lots of waterpolo,it’s quite popular where we are (in south east London) and seems to be growing quite a bit.
I’m always amazed how many people haven’t heard of it!

Hi Adam…. You’re amazing,we love watching you compete 🥇

my question is weird…. Do you remove all your body hair just for competing or all year round?!

Do you think mini lanes should be put into beginner pools to make it less chaotic when helping learn your little one to swim ?

@EllieSmumsnet , really looking forward to hearing Adam's replies. Any update when he will get a chance to reply?

When your local pool has closed, and my primary does not have swimming lessons on the the curriculum, and I cannot get my little ones to the nearest pool - how on earth can I get them the learn this. essential life skill ? https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/people/halifax-swimming-pool-to-permanently-close-due-to-severe-structural-deterioration-3140520

Petition signed. It truly is a scary thought that a large percentage of children do not have the ability to swim, and not participate i this activity. Do you intend to promote this issue by raising this on TV ?

My school had a tiny pool and we had lessons every Friday until we would be a confident swimmer - it was a Victorian school - do you think there is an issue with all new build (PFI) schools who cut costs and do not even consider including a pool (whose rental to other schools could ofset it's costs longterm)

My 10 year old learns at the local leisure centre and is at level 5. He doesn’t enjoy it and wants to stop. What level would you say is acceptable to stop at?

How would you encourage a child to swim - when he has an irrational fear of water - he has night terrors over drowning - and I hope that learning to swim would stop these dreams (as well as it being a life skill of course)

I have tried taking him in with me, but he just clings to me until we get out of the pool - there is no history of him falling in water - just the development of an irrational fear (age 8)

What level of competence should your child be at to be considered a swimmer? My dd is 10 and not particularly keen on lessons, I’m continuing at the moment because I consider it a really important life skill

We have taken our 5 year old to a weekly group swimming lesson for nearly 10 months now and there’s been very little progress but 1-2-1 lessons fall outside our budget. What can we do as parents to try and provide extra help?

Do you worry about the future of young children not being able to access swimming lessons - pools closing, schools having no funds for lessons/transport to pools, and what affect this would have on loss of elite swimmers of the future ? (petition signed)

Cold pool - is discouraging my children (and it really is) are council cut backs the beginning of the end for local authority swimming pools ?

My 11 year old cannot swim and I cannot find any lessons other than ducklings and those for children of primary age - I am not a strong swimmer and I cannot afford 1 to 1 lessons - what would you suggest ?

What is your opinion on the dire state of most of the pools in the UK. Europe seem to have amazing pools with slides etc and ours are just grotty and falling to pieces.

I am struggling to find good quality goggles (at a reasonable price) - as we have 'lost' so many pairs. What is your go-to brand, to help the confidence of a new swimmer ?

I went to a "grotty" city pool in France recently. City > 1 million in size, 50m pool probably built in 1960s, the only pool convenient to city centre where I was staying/ working. They had 2 leisure pools on site, too, but the 50m was busy one.

The TripAdvisor reviews (all in French) are all about how grotty rundown tired the faciilty is, + how rude the receptionist is. I have low standards so it was fine for me. Arguably much more tired than any pool I've been in recently in England, California or Florida. Most similar London pool in my experience would be Oasis Sports Centre, but that's better ventilated I'd say.

Gosh French pool was cheap, < 4 euros for the swim !!

what is your 'go to' learning resource - noodle, float or armbands - and why