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When is my Child Ready for Swimming Lessons? - Swimming Pool Safety

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I have a precocious 3 1/2 year old little girl, Mia, who happens to love the water. At water parks she jumps right in without any consideration of the heart attack I may have watching my baby's head bob up and down in the water; even if the pool is only 10" deep. When we ply in the swimming pool, she spends hours in her little tubes and floates, but every once in awhile she tries to escape. . .thus causing heart attack number 2!

So the logical question for this first time mom is: When do I enroll my child for swimming lessons and where do I go?

Most parents like me start thinking about swim lessons for their toddlers for 3 reasons:

1. Safety - If my child falls in a pool(or in any body of water. . .ocean, pool, pond, river, lake, etc. . .), will he or she make it to safety unharmed. 
2. Enjoyment - Being able to swim can help my child enjoy water activities even more!
3. Michael Phelps - How can I raise the next Michael Phelps? Okay. . .well maybe we won't go that far! Kids have enough pressure at this age learning their ABC's. . .so maybe we'll wait a little while for our future olympian!

With all of these thoughts in my mind, I started doing research on teaching a child how to swim.

Did you know that The Academy of Pediatrics states that a child is "developmentally ready" to learn to swim at age 4? So Mia is almost ready. But wait. . .Can I start teaching her now?

From my research online, I found that most experts agree that early infant lessons - professional or amateur(parents holding a child) are great for building a "comfort zone" and confidence in the water. ((Not to mention great for wearing them out. . .can you say Naptime?!)) More formal lessons that train for blowing bubbles, rolling on back, swim with head down, and kicking are best suited for children around the age of 4. By age 5 1/2 a child should be able to grasp strokes and be well on their way to swimming to you(or to safety!)

I also consulted child developmental swimming expert Lisa Haberkorn and here are her recommendations:

From 6 months to 3 1/2 years, I encourage the "Mommy/Daddy and Me" program with guided supervision. This method of teaching allows an instructor to instill confidence in the parent and gives them the tools to encourage the "happy times" in the water between the child and parent. I encourage the parent to hold their child away from the body so the child experiences buoyancy, and although it may make them a bit insecure because they do not have a floating mechanism, it helps with future learning as their body becomes naturally buoyant.

Another thing I show them is to blow directly in the childs face so they hold their breath and take them under the water slowly. The first time, just below their mouth. The second time, lowering them to where the water hits just above their mouth, the third below their nose, the fourth above their nose. . .and then through a few steps, eventually getting them to go under all the way.

The method of blowing bubbles is good in the first couple submerges. Of course, if the child is scared and crying, this process can take several attempts. If this method isn't working, you can try holding pool toys like pool rings or sticks under the water. While the child is on her belly, she will learn how to reach and put her face under the water to retrieve the toys. Again. . .blowing bubbles here is a good start.

A third thing I try to teach in thsi program is beginning floating on the back and kicking on front. This is just the beginning but tryly helps with start of first lessons. 

It is critical that the child sees the parent going under the water, holding their breath and getting their eyes wet. . .we all know when a child sees a prent or sibling do something, they want to do it too! Don't be afraid to show your child it's OK to get totally wet.

I beleive when a child is 4, they are ready for beginner lessons "one on one" with an instructor. I focus on this age group as it's the age between fear and excitement. The child still has no fear of water and gets excited to be in, but there is still a danger (as Jennifer has noted above) with jumping in. I encourage parents to bring their children back for 3 to 4 years to work at advanced swimming. To only give a child one year of swim lessons and expect them to e a good "Swimmer" is just unrealistic. Most of my students are excellent swimmers and venture into the deep end when they are 5 and 6.

Thanks Lisa!

The next question is: Do I train my child myself? Or do I find a place for her to take swim lessons?

There is plenty of information online on how to teach your child to swim, but again most believe that formal lessons are most effective. LifeScript has a good blog article on training your child at home, but if you are like me, you want to make sure it's done right! 

There are MANY organizations that sponsor swim lessons for children. You can check out your local YMCA, community pool, wellness center or an American Red Cross Training Center.

Make sure that your teacher is an American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructor. Private lessons at your home seem to run between $20-40 per hour nationwide. Group rates at my local YMCA were $25 for members and $50 for non-members - This is for the entire program which meets twice a week for 4 weeks. The latter is also the less expensive way of going. . .but for working moms like me. . .carving out two days a week at inflexible times might not be feasible.

What our expert Lisa Haberkorn says:

First and foremost, check out individual certifications whether you are at the community center or going for private lessons. Some facilities employ your lifeguards with little or no skill in teaching (lacking in the are of child psychology) and this is counter productive to learning. We can all agree that a child needs to be nurtured and comforted during the entire process.

Although group lessons are somewhat more affordable, they are very restrictive. A 30 minute lesson with 4 or 5 other children only allows about 5-8 minutes per child and the destractions of the other kids, in my opinion, is a deterrent for learning. In fact, many children find it difficult to focus and relax when there's a lot of activity in the pool - other children jumping and splashing can be intimidating to a your child just getting used to the water.

I teach private one-on-one sessions for $20 a lesson. (5 30-minute lessons) and I hold them twice a week. I also agree that going every day for 2 weeks can be difficult and does not give the parent time inbetween to work with the child. As with all education, homework is critical! 

Remember, swimming should ALWAYS be a fun activity and the less stress, the better!

Always remember that before and during training, you should always have your hand on your non-swimmier. They should be within arms reach at all times.

For more Safety Tips, Resources and Helpful Posts, please visit the following sites:

• SplashZoneUSA
• APSP
• Red Cross
• Swimming.About.Com
• LifeScript
• Swim.com
• Infant Swimming Resource