Has your child had swimming lessons?

TriciaChick

If so what age?  Did you swim with them or the instructor?  Thank you!!

butterbeansmama

This is his 2nd year. He does not swim on his own yet, so a guardian has to be with him. They learn the basics and mostly about using his arms and kicking his feet. He is 3.5

TriciaChick

Butterbean...I love that pic of your baby.  He looks like he is lounging on a beach and there should be a Corona in his hand or something lol.

KellyMichelle

My son took them last year (age 3.5)  It was a class of about 6 kids.  I was not in the water with him.  We will probably do lessons again this year, but I am looking for a smaller class size so that he spends more time swimming and less time sitting.

patty78

DD was about 18 months, a parent had to be with her. She has moved up a new level and a parent still has to be with her.

hikerbeth

I did baby "lessons" with DD from the time she was 6 months old.  She did lessons on her own with a small group (3 kids total) at 3.5.  She is still not 100% comfortable getting her face wet so she has to re-take that level of lessons until she is.

Chrisy-Wyobride

DD#1 started about 3yrs & can swim now at 5.  She just did group lessons.

DD#1 started at 2.5yrs--she refused to participate most days--LOL!  She's done group lessons a few sessions most of the time she's not really too into it.  I'm gonna try again next month.   

butterbeansmama

TriciaChick:

Butterbean...I love that pic of your baby.  He looks like he is lounging on a beach and there should be a Corona in his hand or something lol.

LOL. It does look that way, now that you mention it. Beer belly and all!

shopgirl78

DS and DD take them next month.  DS is mommy and me; DD is not.  

Heidisean

We did mommy and me since she was about 5 months. Just this year when she turned 3 she started classes on her own. She was actually 3 1/2 and has been in it for 12 weeks now and is doing awesome. She goes alone with a bubble on that straps around her belly/chest without me. There are 6 kids per teacher.

Andrewsgal

DD started at 10 months, we go year round and her first set of lessons without me she was 2. She is now 3.5 can swim the length of the pool freestyle, backstroke and is learning breaststroke. DS started at 5 months, and took a semseter off. This session he will do the first 6 weeks with me and the next 8 without me, then he will do them without me from now on, so at 19 months he will be on his own in a class of 4.

Ciarrai

DD#1 started last summer right after she turned three.  That's the youngest our swim place lets them do "real" lessons (without a mom in there).  There are up to 4 per class (most have been 2-3).  It costs a fortune, but the best thing we have ever done.  DD hated them at first, but love love loves them now.  She started last May when she couldn't swim without swimmies and refused to put her face in the water.  It was once a week for 30 minutes all summer and by August, she could swim ~20 feet (mostly with flippers), take breaths, jump in the pool and get to the side, mostly climb out on her own and was starting to float better on her back.  She stopped in September but started back up in January.  We're finishing the semester this week and she can now swim closer to 30 feet (without flippers), float and kick on her back, starting to do strokes, jump in and get back to the side, climb out, and "dive for rings" (with some help).  This week they're doing "water safety" so the kids are wearing their clothes and are spending the first 10 minutes learning what to do if they fall in a pool with clothes on just so they don't panic.

ETA - The kids in the classes don't wear any kind of flotation devices for any of the classes (even the mommy-n-me).  They do have little flippers (like scuba ones for kids) that they use in the younger classes and they work great getting them started and used to kicking.

shouldbworkin

We did a parent/child swim class when they were little.  But, we started them in child only classes with an instructor at 3 y/o.  DD just started and she's doing great!