Swimming lessons for my 2.5 yr olds

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by lareesab, Apr 16, 2009.

  1. lareesab

    lareesab Well-Known Member

    My boys will be 3 in August and I have been wanting to take them for swimming lessons? I have been swimming since I was a kid and I don't want them to have a fear of water. I was just wondering if anyone is familiar with lessons at this age and if they caught on easy.
     
  2. sharongl

    sharongl Well-Known Member

    We started lessons at 3 1/2--would have started closer to 3, but I was waiting on a speech eval. Classes for 3 and up, tend to start teaching actual swimming skills--and were we went, no parents in the water. Both boys learned how to swim by 4. They got more out of their daily lessons at camp then the weekly lessons over the rest of the year, though.
     
  3. Ellen Barr

    Ellen Barr Well-Known Member

    4 seems to be the age when it all comes together (coordination and cognitively) and kids really take off swimming. Not that lessons aren't worth starting earlier than that, but from what the instructors told us, and from our experience, they sort of get it, but struggle until close to 3 1/2 - 4 years-old and suddenly it all seems to click and they suddenly excel. So, yes, I think 3 is a great time to start and I bet they'll love it! As Sharon mentioned, we had much better luck with lessons where we weren't allowed in the pool. The boys worked much harder for someone else, with fewer tears/whining for a stranger than they did for us.
     
  4. DATJMom

    DATJMom Well-Known Member

    We started my older DD at 2.5 doing ISR lessons and she is currently just doing another refresher lesson. The boys will start in July and they will be just over 2.5 YO.
     
  5. 3sweetps

    3sweetps Well-Known Member

    My first son did lessons at 20 months old...he had one on one lessons with an instructor for 30 mins for 5 days and on the fifth day he was full on swimming under water to the wall, to me, to the step...amazing! The lessons were basically the instructor gently pushing their head under water to teach them to hold their breath and guiding them to the safe spot. We did the same with the twins at 2.5 and they are doing awesome as well. I know some parents don't like the idea of having the instructor push the kids' head under the water, but for us living in Florida surrounded by pools and water it's pretty important to know how to swim.

    I think you're doing lessons at a great time, I think it's so much better for kids to get the instinct of swimming rather than being supported by floats and arm bands just in case they ever fall in to a pool.
     
  6. rissakaye

    rissakaye Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    We started lesson at 3.5. It's a lady who is teaching most of the second generation of that town. She taught my sil as a child. At that age, she just wanted to get them comfortable in the water and comfortable getting water in their faces. She did use floaties and noodles, but she uses it to teach them to kick and also to hold onto to jump off the diving board and pop right back up so they get used to water over their faces. Last summer,at 4.5, they started swimming a little bit by themselves. We'll see what happens this next summer. She's been teaching for 30 years, so I trust her. And yes, it helps if the parents aren't around.

    Marissa
     
  7. my2littlebubbas

    my2littlebubbas Well-Known Member

    We just started lessons in March with my boys without an adult. We go to a local college that has a wonderful swim program. Anyways, I was a bit worried, not about the fear of water (which they don't have), but the seperation from mommy. THey are with me all day everyday. Both of my boys cried the entire first session and did not get in the water. Ugh! The director said that this was normal. THe second time we went, they did awesome. Read a story at the beginning and had a blast playing the pool with balls, watering cans, etc. The third time Ben was awesome, A.J. got in the water only for abit and then cried. I went and got him 15 minutes before the lesson was over. The teacher and helpers are not babysitters and I felt like they were having to "babysit" my DS who was crying. So, our 4th time is tomorrow morning. If A.J. cries again and Ben loves it, we are going to continue to send Ben. A.J. will just wait until next spring. He obviously isn't ready. But, Ben is having a blast swimming with the teacher and playing with all of the cool water toys. He even jumps in from the side and puts his head entirely under water. It's so much fun to watch him. My boys are in a group of 2-3 year olds with 1 teacher, 2 helpers and 6 kids. Our lessons fill up like 6 months in advance, so if you are thinking about doing it, look into it now. Have fun!!
     
  8. Meximeli

    Meximeli Well-Known Member

    The place where I used to teach IRS wouldn't take kids over two and a half. The I stands for Infant because that methodology works for infants. from 2.5 to 4 it should be water awareness (closing mouth, floating), and at 4 or the later age they can stand in the pool that is available for lessons (stand with their chin above the water) is a good time to start learning actual swim strokes.
     
Loading...
Similar Threads Forum Date
swimming lessons Childhood and Beyond (4+) Aug 1, 2009
Swimming Lessons The Toddler Years(1-3) Jun 24, 2009
Those who took swimming lessons with their kids The Toddler Years(1-3) Dec 13, 2008
swimming lessons The First Year Nov 26, 2008
Swimming lessons ROCK The Toddler Years(1-3) Jun 24, 2008

Share This Page