Swimming Lessons for 17 Month Old Baby - Do They Work?

[Louise07]

Hello, am thinking of booking my 17 month old up with some swimming lessons at our local pool, but do they actually teach them to swim or is it more for learning them not to have a fear of the water.

Although she is 17 mths, she has some learning difficulties so is slower developing her movement (doesn't walk or crawl - just combat crawls, can stand up against sofa) and slower to properly understand instructions, however the insructor told me they learn by repetition.

Jut worried that I will pay out the money and she doesn't learn anything.

Any experience of babies learning to swim would be much appreciated. Thanks

[ummmm]

She's a bit young to actually learn how to swim.

It's a good age to start her at though. I was going from a young age and I could swim by the age of four.

[ummmm]

That's the thing Eddie. They don't swim...they float.

[B00]

Personally, i wouldn't bother with the actual lessons, as I doubt she'll learn to swim at such a young age. However I don't see why you can't take her to the pool yourself and just let her have a blast in there, thus she gets to enjoy the water and you save the lessons cost.

[annie0000]

My kids started swimming lessons a wee bit later than that, I think about 2 and a half, however, i recon that they don't actually learn to swim that much earlier than kids who start a bit later, but on the other hand, they have no fear of water and don't start off with a bad experience. I went under water when I was little and panicked, and although I can swim, I am still not that confident in the water. It was important for me to have my kids comfortable in water as soon as possible.

Also, with a few exceptions, children are not really strong enough physically to propel their body weight properly through the water until 4/5 ish.

What do you want your daughter to get from the lessons? If you want her to get confident in the water under supervision and with other kids, then on you go, but I warn you, the cost of lessons fairly adds up over the years and you may start to get frustrated after paying for 3 years and she still doesn't swim.

[ummmm]

True....just take her yourself. I never had any lessons. Just went once or twice a week with my Mum and Nan. I remember the first time I swam on my own as well.

Make sure you persevere with it....it's a life saving skill.

[annie0000]

Hi Ummm - I agree which is why we went down the lessons route - my husband is a good swimmer - taught himself in the river at the bottom of his garden! But with 2 kids a year apart - he was never going to get enough time to teach them on his own - and apart from that, they are more likely to listen to someone else rather than us! However, although my boys are now at pre club level, I would estimate that we have spent easily £2500 getting them to that point. Not counting the petrol ferrying them to and fro and the millions of lost goggles!!! I believe that we could have started lessons 2 or 3 years later and probably be in the same place now. I don't regret it though, cos as you say it's a life skill and I can relax on holiday knowing that they are safe around water and they enjoy being able to swim properly.

[johnk]

Just take her yourself and let her have fun.

[saxy_jag]

I took my youngest to a Mums & Tots session at the local pool from the age of six months. It was all about playing games and gaining confidence in the water. As he got older, he started to learn some basic self-survival, such as how to catch and hang on to various floating objects. It gave him lots of confidence and he was swimming unaided by three and a half (although he refused to take off his deflated armbands until his 4th birthday).

It meant we were able to take him canoeing and sailing from an early age without the fear of him panicking or being silly if he did happen to fall in (which never happened). At 7 he wanted more swimming, so I sent him for extra swimming lessons and he joined a swimming club when he was 10, competing at county level. At 12, he was out-swimming most of the 15 year olds at his school.

Over and above the swimming, he also developed a certain maturity of attitude and a quiet self-confidence from being with the older boys and girls around him. I think it's part of the reason he's never been bullied (his brother didn't start swimming until nearly 2, hated the water and all the camaraderie that went with it and had a lot of bullyng problems).

I say go for it with your daughter, possibly via a parent/toddler group where you'd both get some support, rather than formal lessons. I know from doing hydrotherapy and swimming with learning disabled teenagers what a difference it can make. It improves and builds confidence, co-ordination and general health. When water takes the body's weight, for instance, it gives the limbs a chance to practice what they should be practicing without worrying about holding the body up.

Your health visitor may be even be able to recommend some groups or clubs you could join, with instructors who are experienced in teaching children like your daughter.

Good luck.