When to Start Swimming Lessons

Hello again, S.!
You're so on top of things!!
I wanted to start swim lessons early too, but couldn't find anywhere in the area that starts before 6 months. We put Sully in the tub lots with us so he could free float!
At 6 months, the Southdale YMCA is a great place for swim lessons! They have a heated 3 foot deep therapy pool that they do their swim lessons in for the little guys. It's a bit spendier than Community Ed., unless you become Y members (then it's much cheaper). But definately worth considering. My friends that went the community ed. route often said the water was so cold that their babies didn't like the lessons :( Kind of defeats the purpose.
Take care! And let us know as soon as your little one arrives!
:) M.

We started our daughter when she was 6 months with a parent/child class. It has been fun for her and for us. St. Paul has a Communited Ed program, and we picked the Bridgeview pool. It is a therapetic pool, so it is a lot warmer than most! Congrats!

Hi S.,

The Parks & Recs in Bloomington offers Parent/Child aquatic classes year round starting at about 6 months (I think) and continues to preschool, at which time they transition into the regular child only classes

However, after an unfortunate incident with my preschool daughter, I moved my kids down to Lakeville -- Family Swim School (www.familyswim.com) and have felt the extra expense and drive has been well worth it. My kids have accelerated at a faster rate, have more confidence in the water, and my daughter that had the bad experience has no effects.

Congratulaions -- you have many adventures to look forward to with your child.

I would also look into the ECFE classes (Early childhood family education). Bloomington has a terrific program with a variety of classes to offer starting at birth.

Hello S.,

I am not sure when to start the swim classes but I know I have been researching my self and found Foss Swim Schools seem to have what I am looking for in a swim class for the both of us(my son is 19 months). I am a single mother and thought the rates were reasonable and the class sizes are small aslo. Other wise one of my co workers went to their community center and took some classes there also. Just a few ideas...

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend swim lessons for children less than 4 years old, mainly because they give a false sense of security both to the child, who doesn't develop a "healthy fear" of the water, and to the parent, who may consider their child safer. I think that a smart person can be aware of that, provide water experiences for a child that young (through lessons and otherwise), and understand that even a "little fish" isn't drown-proof. The important time to teach a child to swim is starting at age 5. You can look at their website for recommendations for water safety and instruction and different ages.

The pool I go to at the community center allows 6 month olds and up. After that they bump up at age 2 or 3 to another swimming level. I'd say 3 is a good age to comprehend and start learning concepts etc. 4-5 would be fine too. It doesn't hurt to expose them to water early on though.

Hi S.! My name is E., I'm 26, I have 3 girls, all born in the same year(2005)!! We had twins in January 2005 and another little girl in October of 2005! Anyhow, about your question....I have found that you can put your kids in swimming lessons as young as 6 months! I personally think that's too young but, at the same time it's something that you can do together, (as in bonding time). The things that they learn in swimmong lessons from about 6 months to 3 years is basically just getting them use to the water. My kids love the water anyways so, for us to spend time and money on 3 kids taking swimming lessons at the age of 1, just to get them use to the water for 2 years, was kind of a waste. I think that 3 years old is a great age to start, even 2 would be great, you can get them use to it for 1 year before they start the actual lessons where you don't have to be in the water with them.

Well, to put things in easier understanding, if you want that bonding time together with your new little baby, go for it but, if you want them to learn how to swim at an early age, I would wait until 2. They will get more out of it then.

Hope I helped you out a little!

Good Luck!

I started my son in swimming lessons at our local pool when he was a year old. What was nice about our local pool is that he could enter and exit the water whenever he wanted. He really did not want to do what the class was doing, but he enjoyed playing in the water.

We took my second son in the water when he was 6 months old. He could have cared less. He really was not a water baby at all. I didn't start his formal lessons until he was 3. (Both were parent tot classes)

Now they are 4 1/2 and 6, and this summer they each passed their levels in swimming--one from level one, the other from level two. We have a small pool in our backyard, and they are both swimming like little fish.

The point is--it doesn't matter really when you start--infant or toddler. Read your child. The teacher is the most important. We were lucky to find some really good teachers at our local pool during the summer, with a really nice set up for kids. You can check into the YMCA or Foss or your local school district, who would all offer swimming year round. We were not impressed with our own school district's program, but every place is different. And the teacher, really does make the biggest difference, no matter where you go.

I would start sometime before the age of 1. Before they figure out it can be scarry. I didn't do that with my daughter and at age3 she was horrible and so I put her in swimming lessons and she would wrap her legs around her teacher and claw her. Kicking myself in the butt that I didn't have her more comfortable with swimming before hand.

Another piece of advise I tried this and had really good luck. I taught my daughter how to ride her bike without training wheels at 3.5 years old. It took me like 2 hours in one day. I did this before she realized what happens when one falls off a bike and before she grew scarred of trying. I know it seems really young but I swear if I had waited til she was 5 or 6 she would have been a chicken butt and not tried. (that's how most kids I've seen are)

So now I'm all about trying things earlier...I think the longer you go without knowing how the more scared one is. My dad's girlfriend is paranoid of water, won't step foot in a pool or lake because she doesn't know how to swim. And now it's like to late she refuses to try. So she will go the rest of her life hating water.

I'm a think ahead type of person and you are really smart for being like that too. Here's a few things you'll need to think ahead of too that noone tells you about.-not trying to sound like a know it all!

preschool- think ahead and have him signed up about a year ahead of time with most preschool's. You can't wait til last minute

kindergarten- I had to have my daughter signed up 6mos. before school started, and because I opted for the full day program I had to have my first payment to hold our spot 6mos. prior they also need a preKindergarten screening before kindergarten mandaorty by the state which you can do with your school dist. or pedatrician anytime after 3.5 years old.

sports programs-I usually have to have my daughter signed up months before hand too or they fill up

Yearly well child checkup's with the doctor I usually have to call and make the appointment 3 weeks before I want the appt. or I can't get in til after her birthday... only because these appointments are differnet and longer so they schedule them differently

I know your son isn't even here yet and it seems like ages away before you'll need this info but I wish someone would have told me about some of this. Congrats on being pregnant!