Swim classes

btsrc5

Several of you have posted about taking LOs to swim class.  What exactly do you do in swim class?

DD loves the pool.  I take her to the indoor pool when I can.  She isn't scared of water at all, she doesn't get upset when she goes under or water gets in her face, she will kick her feet when I am holding onto her and pulling her around, she LOVES the pool/water.  Do I need to take her to swim class?  Or would it be a waste?

cantalopes24

Up until the past year swim classes for E were more just for fun. He has always loved the water and been comfortable putting his face in the water. We're signing him for a swim team this summer.

Chunstad

This is our second month.  At first, C was not happy at all, but he got used to it and loves it now.  Our session is 30 minutes, but the core instruction time is 20 minutes.  Parents and babies get into a circle, and we do the Hokey Pokey, naming body parts and splashing them around.  We do humpty dumpty where you set the kid on the wall and after 'humpty dumpty' is said the kid jumps into your arms.  Then we do I'm a little teapot, and that gets them used to blowing bubbles and disappearing under the water.  She also uses pool noodles to set under their arms and they get a rubber ducky that they throw and 'reach and pull' with their arms to retreive. 

It is much more than just splashing around, it is a developmentally appropriate exposure to swimming.  I'm so happy that I get to do this with him, but it does tire both of us out.

blu-eyedwife

We had a very similar experience to Chunstad. Right down to the Humpty Dumpty! But no little teapot. We did "popcorn" to work on blowing bubbles. The class worked with the kids on getting into and out of the pool, swimming toward objects, being passed between people, swimming underwater, arm strokes, and leg kicking. My class used kick boards instead of pool noodles, but it's a similar idea.

 

And there's the social and fun aspect of it too. LBB loved every minute of class and never wanted to get out of the pool. 

Elsa1984

We haven't gotten as far as Chunstad's son.....we have had two 30min sessions so far. Gator goes twice a week. For her class, the first and last 5min are free play time. During the 20min, they work on different things. Right now, we are focusing on her getting her ears wet...which she hates, jumping off the side into my arms, getting her face splashed, and the moves to doggie paddle. Her teacher really focuses on doggie paddle because it teaches them to keep their lower half down in the pool so their face doesn't go under. So if they fall in the pool, they at least know how to doggie paddle to the edge of the pool.

We started for a few reasons: Gator wouldn't play on her tummy or back in the tub so I knew she had a fear. She hates to get her ears wet. We have a boat and spend all summer on the water, so I didn't want her scared to go in the lake. We are going to Great Wolf Lodge at the end of April and I wanted her to be able to have fun without panicking if her face or ears got wet.

Scramblersmom

Chunstad:

This is our second month.  At first, C was not happy at all, but he got used to it and loves it now.  Our session is 30 minutes, but the core instruction time is 20 minutes.  Parents and babies get into a circle, and we do the Hokey Pokey, naming body parts and splashing them around.  We do humpty dumpty where you set the kid on the wall and after 'humpty dumpty' is said the kid jumps into your arms.  Then we do I'm a little teapot, and that gets them used to blowing bubbles and disappearing under the water.  She also uses pool noodles to set under their arms and they get a rubber ducky that they throw and 'reach and pull' with their arms to retreive. 

It is much more than just splashing around, it is a developmentally appropriate exposure to swimming.  I'm so happy that I get to do this with him, but it does tire both of us out.

Pretty much the same here and we have been through 2 sessions already. For us it was just a ton of fun to do something as a family 2x a week with an added bonus of getting DS accustomed to the water.