Dallas-Fort Worth Babies
OceanMommy
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swim lessons
OceanMommy
member
What age did you start swim lessons? And any recommendations for lessons in the Plano/Richardson area? Thank you!
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Re: swim lessons
I started DD in swim lessons when she was 2 and she did well - she went from being afraid of the water to jumping off the diving board in 4 lessons. We started again this past April at 3 years old and took 8 lessons with our local high school swim coach (Southlake) and she learned even more than last year and can now dive for rings (shallow end), jump off the side and push off the floor to get into the swimming position, and she can swim under water across the pool while coming up for breaths. The swim coach taught DD (and me - even though I was just observing) some amazing tricks that made a HUGE difference in how we approached swimming.
With DS, I started him at 19 months at Lifetime because I won some free lessons... I don't think those lessons were as good AT ALL as with the swim coach. I had four lessons and 3 of those focused only on putting his face in the water and blowing bubbles - for the entire hour. It was a waste of time and I'm glad I got them for free, or it would have been a waste of money. He was able to do all of that at home with me in the tub or pool, but wouldn't do it with the teacher, so they wouldn't teach him anything else until he "mastered" it - even though at home, he jumps off the diving board! I will put him in lessons with the high school swim coach this coming spring (at 2 1/2) and then keep up the practice in our back yard and in the pool at Lifetime during the cooler months.
That is my suggestion - if you have a really great high school swim program, see if their coaches teach lessons, or find an infant aquatic center where they specialize in that - don't get stuck with a high schooler who doesn't know what they're doing or has to follow a timeline instead of looking at each child's specific needs and skill level. Usually the aquatic centers and high school pools are indoors, so they offer lessons year round and they're pretty affordable.
I completely agree with the PP. DS (will be two next week) & I took a mommy & me swim class at Aquakids in July & I wouldn't go there again. They were too focused on going through a set curriculum & didn't tailor at all to the specific child's needs. DS was nervous about the water (which I explained before the first class started), but the instructor (a 20-ish guy) proceeded to stick his face in the water within the first 10 minutes of day one & DS was afraid of him from that point forward.
They provide lessons year round though, so I would assume any indoor facility probably does the same.
Married: '06 - Mom of 3 boys: '08, '11 & '14
Married: '06 - Mom of 3 boys: '08, '11 & '14
I took DD to Swim Emler in Frisco and they are great. We just finished the 11 week summer session on Wednesday and she did really well. I have signed her up for the next session that starts next week and runs through sometime in January. The pool is indoors so they can have swimming lessons all year round. She is in the Waterbabies class & until she reaches 2 it is a parent participation class.
I am pretty sure they have a Plano location too.
We have a pool in our backyard so I thought it was very important that she learns some basic swimming skills.