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Pre-School and Daycare
NJLH
member
Anyones preschool include swim lessons?
NJLH
member
Next year, my girls will have swimming as part of their preschool. I'm really nervous. My girls have never been in a real pool and one of my girls is a very nervous around water. I'm hoping to get some pool time this summer...I dont belong to a local pool and cant do swim lessons (u have to have 1 parent/child for local swim lessons here which isnt a possibility). Every time I walk past the large pool at the preschool (its in a Y), I get a big knot in my stomach.
I'm just curious if anyone else's preschoolers swim at school and if they began with very little pool experience. Everyone says they'll love it so I hope they're right. Thanks!
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Re: Anyones preschool include swim lessons?
When you say it is in a Y, do you mean the YMCA? My girls just finished their second round of swim lessons at the YMCA and it was great. They start individual swim lessons in a class environment at age 3 at our YMCA. I wanted to start them swimming younger than 3, but like you they classes were all parent/child and you can't have 2 kids to 1 parent, so I had to wait until they turned 3 years old to enter them in swim class. The YMCA is a great learning program for swimming, I learned to swim as a child at the YMCA and loved it. Our YMCA and I think most use a floation assistant on the kids since they are in a class environment so they are all safe when each child is taking their turn learning they stroke/move the teacher is teaching. Kid under 6 are not allowed in the Y pool here without the floation assistant on their backs unless they have taken a swim test with the swim manager to prove they can swim good enough on their own.
I would ask them how they do the lessons, if it is individual with teacher and child or if a class setting then what they use to keep the kids afloat when the teacher cannot have their hands on them. This might put some of you fears at ease. My girls have learned so much in the 8 weeks they were in class. 1 now swims without a floatation assistant in our pool and independently swims under the water. My other twin is much more timid about doing new things and her biggest problem is she refuses to put her face in the water or go under water. She swims great on top of the water and can even do a back float and back stroke.
I also agree your girls are going to really enjoy the class and learn so much. I know it makes you uncomfortable, but the main thing they teach them that is so important is how to get to the side of the pool if they fall in. There are so many children that don't get to swim lessons at a young age and end up drowning because they fall into a neighbors pool or a pool at a birthday party. I say the younger you can get them in lessons the better. I know for sure that if my kids fall into a pool, they know how to get to the side of the pool or they flip themselves on their backs and float until someone can get to them. I keep my pool locked up at all times, but not everyone everywhere does.
I used to teach preschool swim. It'll be fine and your girls will love it. There were always all levels, from those who were real anxious to the fishes. Seeing the fishes helps the anxious ones and your girls may surprise you.
My kids go swimming with their preschool, but don't get swim lessons per se.
For the little ones, they are put in pfds for the time in the pool, the older ones 'swim' with lifeguard or instructor supervision.
I love it. Learning to swim is a necessary skill IMO. It's great that your kids have the opportunity to do this at preschool!
Our daycare/preschool camp does trips to the local pool 2x a week during the summer.
No lessons, but they will all be in the baby pool w/ lifeguards and teachers. We did sign DD up for lessons this summer just so she'd be in the water a little more in advance of this summer, but she's done great and I'm totally comfortable w/ her going to the pool w/ the rest of the kids.
Your kids might take to the water more readily if you're NOT there. I'm always amazed at how self-sufficient my kids can be when I'm nowhere to be found!
My kids both took preschool swim lessons at our local Y, and I was very happy with the program. They both learned to swim well enough to take the deep-water test at our own pool by age 5 or 6. My kids had several different instructors during their time in swim lessons, some of whom were better than others. When I found a great instructor, I tried to keep my kid in that level for as long as possible!
The Y does have a technique for working with kids who are afraid to enter the water. Also, I loved that they don't move your kid up to the next level automatically at the end of each session. It's pretty normal to be in the same level for more than one session, especially with better instructors.
You live in NJ? There are lots of places that have non-parent-child swim lessons starting at 3. I thought th Y even started at 2yo. Try the Y, the county, local swim clubs, etc. good luck