Toddler Swim Lessons - Is It Worth It?

Hi Jeannett
looking over all the posts I see you have gotten many varied replies. I agree with one in particular. I feel it is worth repeating. I have 8 grandchildren who come over often and swim. They range in age from 5 months to 13 years.
We have always thought it was important for the younger one to begin with water safety and enrolled them in the IRS program. Its 10 minutes a day and I am very impressed with the results. It does not replace parent supervision but does buy a little time if there is an accidental fall in. I highly recommend the program.
A.
http://www.infantswim.com/

YES! We started mommy & me swim lessons his first summer and have done them ever since. If you're uncomfortable start w/the mommy and me ones, then next summer sign him up for the class on his own.

I was told by my pediatrician to at least wait until children are 3 years of age because that is when they start to have a fear of water, which you want. I waited until mine were 4, and will still have to take them again next summer for more. However, every child is different.

Hi J., I didn't see any swim teachers on here, so I thought I'd give you my 2 cents, both as a swim teacher & as a mom (10yr, 3yr, and one due yesterday-literally). I've been teaching on & off since I was in high school, but consistently every summer the last 6 years.
A few questions-what is expensive? Are the lessons private or group? Is this a mommy&me class or just him...again, private or group?

1. Of course private lessons will be more expensive, but your son will get one-on-one attention and learn alot more alot faster. And if he has any fear at all privates really are the only way to go to make any progress before the summer is over. If your son has any trouble focusing, privates are definitely worth the extra money if you want to make any progress quickly.

2. Make sure the lessons are not ALL play. If they are mommy & me there will be alot fo play, but a good teacher will tell you what skill the play activity is teaching the kids. For Example, having your child sit on the wall while you say, "Humpty dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!" and he falls into you, teaches the child to wait for you to be ready before he jumps in.

3. If it's not mommy & me, watch what the teachers are doing with your son and do those things with him in the pool on your own. The more practice time outside of lessons, the faster he'll pick it up....and the fewer lessons (less $$) you'll have to buy.

4. Watch the teacher. Lots of places hire kids to teach lessons for the summer. Some kids are great and really do know how to teach, others are babysitters and play more with the kids than teach. Ask about the teacher-age, how long they've been teaching, even references of families they've taught. If you don't feel like your child is getting the most out of the class from that instructor, ask to try a different one who has more experience. It is your money and you should get the quality you pay for.

5. The main things you want your child to learn (in my opinion) at this age is:
*Waiting for mommy or daddy or adult before getting in the pool, before jumping in, & before stepping off the steps of the pool. (don't let your kid wear floaties or life jackets too often. They will for sure jump into the pool without you one day b/c they are so used to floating. I never put floatation devices on my kids b/c of that false security.)
*Climbing out of the pool on their ("arms up, belly up, leg up")
*Blowing bubbles (so they don't choke) & putting their face in the water
*Floating on their back (Kids hate this b/c they feel like they're falling, but it's so important in case they ever fall in they need to learn to simply turn over, relax and float so they can call for help and wait for someone to get them out if necessary...of course eventually they learn to kick to the side and pull themselves out, too.)

Your 2yr old may or may not be able to actually swim on his own by the end of the summer, but as long as he learns the safety of the water, the skills I mentioned above, and he has fun floating from you to the steps or wall, you've made progress.

We did mommy and me lessons with our now 15 year old when she was 15 months and we were glad we did, just because they were good training for us as we instructed the other children at this age. They gave us fun activities and ideas for them to be independent and want to put their face under the water. In Austin some of the best lessons were with the " University of Texas Summer (it was really year round) Sports (or was that 'swim'?) School program" run by Don Crowley and I think he has a business now called AquaKnowAquatics. May take my one 5 year old chicken swimmer to him, but the games and techniques we learned from the instructors have helped us teach the other and summer swim league has helped their abilities improve after they learn how to stay afloat. (Our 15 year old now swims year round...favorite race...the mile :)

In our town, swim lessons are not expensive, and I've done them every year for my daughter who's five. She still doesn't swim because she really hates getting wet, so the 2-week lessons won't necessarily teach that. I'm glad I had her in them because every year we're chipping away at her "shell"! However, if they were expensive, I don't know that I'd consider it worth it at that age. I might wait a year if they're terribly expensive. You can play with her in the water and get her used to it on her own at age 2. My 2-year-old is taking them next week for the first time, but if the class were expensive, I'd probably wait a year.

Vicki L gave you a great informative answer! Get that kiddo swimming! :)
I think swim lessons are awesome, and the younger the better. My sister is a swim coach, so I've had the privilege of private lessons for cheap, but it is worth every dime! My sis always suggested that we get them in the water as much as we could and to NOT use floating devices. She encouraged us to let the kids learn their own weight and how their bodies felt in the water. It has made a huge difference!

My daughter is 20 months and can swim about 6 feet unassisted. She blows bubbles, almost floats on her back unassisted and loves, loves, loves to put her face underwater! She has learned to fall off the edge humpty dumpty style and counts to 3 before she does so to learn to wait. She has learned when she jumps in to come up and flip over on her back to breathe. She absolutely loves the water and we encourage her by letting her do as much as she is comfortable with. Within safety reasons of course!

My 4 year old son just finished his first season on the swim team. He tried out last year and didn't quite make the distance on his own. This year he can swim 25m unassisted without holding or touching the lane ropes. Like my daughter, he's been swimming since he was about 2. He's an absolute fish! Also, there were 3 year olds on the swim team and several other 4 year olds!

Other moms have told me that my kids are swimming young, but really what does it matter? We don't force it on them, they just enjoy it! And really, they are always going to be around water. I'd rather them not drown! We have a swimming pool at our home. We took my sister's advice and have never used floaties. When we are in the pool we have swim time (for the baby: practice bubbles, going under, swim to mom or dad, etc. for the older: practice big arm strokes, big kicks, learning to breathe to the side, etc.) then we have playtime!

Check with the swim team near you. Sometimes the mentors or assistant coaches offer private or semi-private lessons at the neighborhood pool. It might be cheaper than what you are looking at.

Good luck! :)

I started my daughter at 2, as well (she's also an April baby). Yes, it was expensive, but IMHO, it was totally worth it. She went for one week and I observed the lessons so that I could pick up on what the teacher was trying to teach her at that age. We spent the rest of the summer going over what she learned in class. We've done the pretty much the same thing every summer since. That first year, she did cry a bit, but by the end of the week, she loved it. She is now a fish and has tons and tons of confidence when it comes to the water. The sooner you can get them in the water, the better off you will be in the long run. Swimming is one of those life skills that everyone needs so I say go for it!

YES - it might save his life someday!!

I do take my 2 years old to swimming lessons, he really enjoys them. However I do not think he will learn to swim. Have fun.

All my kids have had swimming lessons and all have learned to swim at @ 4 yrs old but all of them didn't even start lessons til age 3. If you have access to water, I suggest you just let him experience it as much as possible on his own, then invest in lessons next year!

However, if you do not have access to a pool, then I do suggest some lessons, although in my area, at this age it's all "mommy and me" type classes!

Do consider the lessons.
The main thing is for your child to feel comfortable in the water, and know what to do if they fell in the water.
My granddaughter has been in the water/had lessons, since she was 3 months old.
Luckily our neighbor (who was her preschool, Pre-K, & Kindergarten teacher), also teaches lessons during the summer (and taught both of my children, she started teaching lessons during the summer when she was in college), has a pool.
She rarely cried, as a toddler she would look at the other children in the class and wonder why they were crying, because she was so comfortable in the water.
As a former WSI, who taught swim lessons (both Red Cross and private) for over 11 years (and, for a number of years before, helped my Mother with lessons before I was certified), I work with my granddaughter on fine tuning her swim strokes.
With my own children, they had private lessons to get back into the swing of things, then when they went to visit my parents, they would take Red Cross lessons at the pool that I learned in, and later I taught lessons and life guarded at.

I would provide your toddler with ISR. I know a few moms that have invested in this class and it is a wonderful introduction to the water for thier toddlers. http://www.infantswim.com/

ABSOLUTELY. The sooner the better. I think it is a must for all children to learn to respect the water and learn how to swim. It could mean the difference between life and death. I live in Canada and the first week of July there were 4 water related deaths involving teens that never learned how to swim. Just my advice. Take it for what it is worth.

L.

My son and I have taken mommy and me swim classes since he was nine months old. We did it because the classes were affordable and we enjoyed it. In the beginning these classes were meant to make him more comfortable in the water. We took several classes - consistently since he was 9 months old. He didn't seem to "get it" until he was a little more than 3. I had a friend who paid for private lessons for her son. She wanted him to learn to swim. The instructor let her know that most kids are not successful until they are three, she was paying for private lessons with an instructor who had twenty years experience. And now that he's three this year, he is starting to be able to swim a bit on his own. So if it's just for fun and making you comfortable, go for it. If you want him to be able to swim, I would wait until he is three.

I cannot stress how important it is to get your child into swim lessons ASAP. It is a safety issue. Your child could drown in the bathtub, fall in a pool, bayou, lake etc.

My daughter is 2.5 years old. She has been in swim lessons year around since she was 1 years old. I know I might be a little overboard but I was a lifeguard from 16 years of age till I was 23 plus I swam competitively year around for 10 years.

We are always around water so it is super important to me and my husband that my daughter be able to swim.

As of right now, my daughter can jump off the step and swim back with no assistance. Obviously, she is not a strong swimmer and still needs a whole lot of work but she will get there with time.

I completely understand the expense of swim lessons but it is one expense that is well worth it. As of right now, my daughter will remain in lessons year around until I feel comfortable with her in the water.

Please let me know if you have any questions. This is something I am very passionate about for all children.

My eldest daugther took swimming lessons since she was 7 months. She loves water and is like her second nature. Now she is seven and hates swimming lessons cause she has always been free in the water. I highly recommend them!

I would say it is worth it just for the reasons you mentioned, to help him get used to the water and learn how to get in and out of it safely. My 2 year old son will be starting his second summer of swim lessons next weekend and for $10 per class for 5 classes I feel it's reasonably priced. He loves the water and this is the beginning of his life learning lessons until he becomes an excellent swimmer (I plan to let him continue each summer for a long time).

I personally wouldn't put him into an expensive swim school until he is about 4. As a matter of fact, I recently asked our private swim instructor what her opinion was. She said about 4 is a good age, unless they are really expressing an interest and comfortable going under water at a young age. I think taking him to the pool a few times a week is all you need to do. That will make him feel comfortable in the water. Then maybe consider it next summer, when he's 3. You can always find inexpensive lessons at the YMCA or the city, if you are worried about spending too much. I did this with my son when he was little. Looking back on it now, it didn't make any difference with his comfort level in the water. I think what would have been best is if we had of "lived at the pool" when he was little. We didn't.

i am taking my 2 1/2 yr old to classes this summer. i had to sign him up in january to get a spot for the class! i plan on taking him for the next couple of years. or untill he is a strong swimmer on his own.

My son turned 3 in Feb. The last 2 summers we have done the Mommy and Me class where I got in the water with him. This summer he is old enough to go into the class by himself and I don't get in with him. The first day he didn't even look for me to join him.

My son is very familiar with water. My in-laws have a pool which he is in almost every weekend. We could teach him ourselves but the lessons are about more than just teaching to swim. He is socializing with other kids, waiting his turn, having to pay attention to someone other than us, and it gives him something to look forward to each day for a few weeks.

It depends on your reasoning for your son to go to the lessons. I fyou have the money to send him, I say go for it.

I personally think 2 is still to young for swim lessons. My daughter turned 4 in March and just finished a month of swim lessons at the YMCA. It really helped her get over her fear of water. Shes learned safety and how to swim a little too. It is very expensive, but well worth it i think.

How old is your son? If 2 or 3, then I'd wait. But I think at 4 they'd be worth the money. I wish I had taken my son. He's 7 and every summer, he gets it and then the fall comes and it's like starting all over every summer.
I don't have the heart, but my dad popped us over the side of the boat and after 20 seconds of terror--we were swimming. Less painful in the long run I think! :-)

We spent lots of money for our first daughter to take swim lessons. She learned how to swim and loved it. We did not take our second daughter to swim lessons. She learned at home with us teaching her. She is 7 and loves to swim. She can swim all the down to the deep end of the pool (9 ft). And she has mastered diving this summer. I think it all depends on the child. Our second child is a dare devil and totally fearless..........

I put my 8 month old in swim lessons for her to get used to the water and not have fear of it, she loved it!! I really think it is worth it. I'm not sure how it works with a 2year old but I was in the pool with her so it was a great bonding experience. I would sign up!!

M.

Well, the finances aren't insignificant and you have to decide what value you think the lessons would have, but I can say that I had swimming lessons as an infant and as a toddler, and I loved them! If you haven't already, check out the place and maybe talk to the other parents and see if there's a feeling of community--do the parents and the kids love the swim instructor(s), or does it feel like a military institution? I would say, though, that if he's going to be around water regularly, and he already loves to be in the water, it's probably a great idea.

I might wait a year before spending a lot of money. If you have the time, just spend a lot of time in the water with him! I was going to sign my 4 year old up for swim lessons this summer, but he's swimming like a fish above and under the water on his own now! We did cheap lessons last year that weren't very good, but I've always spent a ton of time in the water with him up until this summer. He loves it and is used to it, and he's been using floaties for two years. Now he is swimming wonderfully! I WILL invest in good swim lessons now so he can learn proper technique and different strokes, but you may want to wait for the "expensive" lessons.

Yes. Worth it. Especially if there is a body of water or pool nearby.

DO IT The piece of mind even if just a little bit of when they are close to water if worth it. They can be pushed or fall into water and with these lessons they can at least know how to float or make it to the side of the pool. You may get a little of gray on the first few days because your baby is getting their face wet but both of you will live through it I DID.

I started my daughter at 15 months with a baby and me class. She took private lessons at age 2 and cried the 1st 5 lessons even though she LOVES the water. Most kids cry because swim lessons have some kind of structure and some kids don't like that at 1st. My daughter is now 3 and taking private lessons and she is doing amazing. I really believe the 1st 2 summers of swim lessons have finally paid off. She should be swimming the length of the pool by next year.

If you're around water regularly, then I would suggest lessons to at least start to teach water safety.

We're doing them with my year old (also 2 in April) right now because we have a pool. She'll have him sit on the edge, "fall" in and then "swim" to the edge. Basically, she's teaching what to do "just in case."

Of course she makes it fun. (Although he, and every other kid I've seen do swim lessons, screams sometimes. Still, I see him making progress so it's worth it to me).

He loves the water and has no problems with going under or being splashed or anything like I've seen some other kids do.

I don't really expect him to learn how to swim before the summer is over though.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Absolutely swim lessons are worth it! My toddler was so scared of the water that she wouldn't swim with others! I had to get her private swim lessons so I went with Aquamobile. It was worth every penny. Now, swimming is her favorite sport and she's on a swim team. Highly recommend private swim lessons through Aquamobile!
http://aquamobileswim.com/