Swim Lessons for Littles

Let's talk about swim lessons for infants & toddlers - are they worth it?

Last week I was at the public library with my toddler and another mom overheard me tell him that we would have to leave for swim lessons in a few minutes. This prompted a conversation about if swim lessons are worth the money, and I thought this may be a topic a lot of people are interested in.

The short answer: It depends on what you are expecting and hoping your child gets out of the lessons. It also depends on where you go for swim lessons.

Did you know that drowning is the single leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to 4?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated its recommendations to suggest that swim lessons can be one tool parents can use to help reduce drowning. They state that research on swim lessons in the 1 - 4 years age group has shown that swim lessons can be helpful to reduce drowning. BUT (and this is a big BUT) - even with swim lessons, even if your little one seems to swim like a fish, they MUST be supervised by a responsible adult at all times in the water.

That being said, Harvard Health states that children cognitively do not have the skills to swim until around age 4.

What to Expect says that not all young children are ready for swim lessons (emotionally, developmentally, and physically). So if you are unsure, ask your pediatrician and they can help you decide.

We did swim lessons when he was about 10 months old and we are currently doing them again at 20 months. On this second go around, I realized that I selectively remembered our previous experience because being back at the same location reminded me that I said I would not do swim lessons here again.

First, let's discuss expectations:

At 10 months I just wanted to get him used to being in a pool and have fun. At 20 months, I found myself frustrated that he was not gaining more skills. So reality check, most swim lessons for infants and toddlers are going to focus on parent and child having fun in the water together. That being said, as we go more to swim lessons, I do find he is getting more comfortable and learning some basics in the water (I just needed to be patient!

So if you are looking to increase your child's comfort and have fun in the water with them, swim lessons are probably going to be a good investment for you. On the other hand, you may feel you can do this and teach some basic water safety yourself.

I would just caution you to not expect your little one to learn to swim at swim lessons at this young age.

Second, let's discuss swim programs:

There are some programs that may teach more skills than others, so you will want to do your research before signing up and spending money on swim lessons. I know I will ask the following questions before I pay for any more swim lessons:

1. What type of swimming curriculum is utilized? What skills are taught and how?

2. If they have a reluctant child in the class, how would they handle that?

3. How warm is the water? (According to the AAP, the water should be heated to 87 to 94 degrees for children under 3).

4. Does the class promote general water safety?

5. Do instructors have the children put their heads underwater? (When children are really little, they should not put their heads underwater because they could easily swallow too much water and get water poisoning (What to Expect).)

I did not ask these questions and I believe they have had an impact on our experience. The swim lessons we have attended are open for ages 6 months - 3 and everyone is taught the same curriculum. As parents, we know that a 6-month-old is vastly different than a 3-year-old in what they can do and understand (this may be an understatement). In our first couple of weeks, my son was slow to warm up to the instructor and being in the water and I felt the instructors had no strategies to help him feel more comfortable and to get engaged. The water is cold at the location we attend, so he is shivering instead of thinking about swimming. Finally, swim lessons alone do not prevent a child from drowning, so it is important they learn general water safety to be as safe as possible (Parents.com)

You also want to be sure you look for these basic requirements when choosing where to sign up for swim lessons (What to Expect & Harvard Health):

• The swim instructor should be well trained and experienced (if it's their first time teaching, they should be under the supervision of a more experienced teacher).

• The swim instructor must be certified in CPR and First Aid

• Classes should teach personal safety, general water safety, stroke development,

• Your child should not be using a life jacket or floaties during swim lessons or the lessons should reduce reliance on them throughout the course

• The environment and pool MUST be safe

• You want the child-to-teacher ratio to be as low as possible - all children should be able to be within arm's reach

While I haven't loved our swim lesson experience and I hope this information can help you find a better experience, I do feel Parker has benefitted from swim lessons. Last week, when I brought him to the side of the pool, he was able to completely pull himself out by himself. And he is getting more comfortable, so there is not as much fear. I know I will be doing more research and asking more questions before I sign him up again.

For my family, I believe swim lessons are worth it. However, I need to better research the programs in my community.

Just remember no matter what, your children must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times when near water.

Remember, you got this mama! You are doing a great job!