Next year my daughter starts swimming lessons in school, but as yet she has never set foot in a swimming pool.
IJ is nearly seven years old and she has never set foot in a swimming pool, ever. This is not ideal. The main reason for this is that I don’t swim. I can swim; I learnt as a child, but subsequent ear problems have meant I have to avoid water.
Obviously, it is important that IJ learns to swim. It is an essential life skill that everyone needs as well as being a fun, sociable activity with a range of physical and psychological health benefits.
IJ will be learning next year at school and it could be a daunting prospect for her if she has never seen the inside of a swimming pool prior to this. As it is strongly recommended that swimming lessons are left to professional instructors, my aim over the next few months is to get her used to splashing around in the water before she starts more formal lessons.
Next week we are holidaying with family in the East Midlands. IJ has decided she would like to join her niece in the swimming pool for the first time. This is the perfect opportunity for her to see what it is like.
So, with great excitement we have been out and bought her some essential kit. GrowingKids recommends buying the following:
- A swimsuit
- Goggles
- A swim hat
- Flip flops
- A towel
- Specially formulated shampoo
- A waterproof bag
I have added a pair of brightly coloured arm-bands to this list and so far IJ is excited about the prospect of wearing them.
When children start learning to swim at school, MyChild recommends supplementing this with additional private swimming lessons and advises parent to:
- Look for the ASA Aquamark at a swimming pool so you know teachers are qualified and the premises are also regularly inspected
- Never choose a class that has more than ten pupils in it
- Check out prices -- classes can cost anything from £3 -- £5 an hour
- Ask your local authority if any free courses are available
The Swimming Teachers' Association offers a range of information and advice to parents, including water safety, swimming and the National Curriculum, information about finding local swimming pools and swimming teaching services.
MyChild advises parents to approach their children’s swimming positively, so I am going to encourage IJ to try on her swimming costume and talk about the excitement of playing in the water with her niece. The next step will be school swimming lessons and perhaps some additional coaching, if that is what she wants.
Are your children confident swimmers already or, like my daughter, are they yet to have a lesson?
Other posts you may like
Love RosieScribble’s post? Read more 
10 Comments
Post a comment
You must be signed in to post to Ready for Ten.
Haven’t registered? It’s really quick and simple.
27 May, 2010
My daughter has not yet learnt to swim - we did take her a lot when she was younger than 3 but once the trouble with her ears started we had to stop. She is not allowed swimming for at least another 6 months. It does worry me that she can't swim yet and they don't do swimming lessons from school here either. So she will have to join a beginners class full of very young children which she will hate! - Great post Rosie - loads of brilliant ideas & info!
mum
27 May, 2010
Thanks Wendy. I thought it was part of the National Curriculum for all children to learn in Key Stage 2. Perhaps @RFT_Tim can let us know. Ears and swimming don't mix, as I discovered when I was nine.
27 May, 2010
My two have both swum since they were three and Miss M (5) has just achieved her 10 metre badge (proud). I do think it's a key skill and I'm sure IJ will love splashing around with her cousin. This might sound a bit mad, but have you thought about letting her splash around in the bath in all her gear as well? This helped Miss M when she was scared of getting her face underwater. Arm bands are perfect too and a rubber ring (for Center Parcs) as she really will feel safe.
It's a nightmare with ear problems isn't it? As you know my niece has been unable to have regular lessons due to her grommits. There are brilliant ear protectors you can now get from companies such as Zoggs which have allowed her to swim a little or at least splash around, but it is hard. Hope IJ has a wonderful time.
mum
27 May, 2010
My eight-year-old has swimming lessons with school, before that she just splashed around with us, which is what my six-year-old is doing now. I found a swim jacket really useful for the early stages. It's all about confidence in the water to begin with.
Both refused to go for swimming lessons (which was a relief financially as they cost £80 per term paid in cash) but my local pool does individual lessons which might be useful for gaining confidence.
Great post - I had been feeling as if I was the only parent not to have two children who could swim!
mum
27 May, 2010
I thought I was the only parent with a six year old who could not swim, Maggie. It is a relief to hear I am not! It is my daughter's confidence on the water I want to build up, as you say. I like the idea of a swim jacket. I think that would be really helpful, especially in the initial stages.
admin
27 May, 2010
This is a great post Rosie and a topic we've discussed a lot in our house. I am a very strong swimmer and grew up in the water, and my husband is the complete opposite. We did start swiming lessons with our daughter from the early age of two an a half, however, we attended for a year (at great expense) and she still couldn't swim. We left it a couple of years due to the birth of her two younger brothers which was just too much of a logistical nightmare to arrange, and she has just started again at the age of five. She is so excited about her lessons, and is gaining confidence slowly.
For our daughter, I would personally not want her to wait till school lessons started to introduce her to swimming (many of her peers will already be swimming). I like the smaller group environment and think it will be really beneficial for her to have some swimming experience in place before having to swim with her entire class in the pool.
I do think every child and every family is different so you really need to go with what is best for your situation. Wishing IJ lots of luck!
Leigh
Ready for Ten Team
mum
27 May, 2010
@RFTJo I like the sound of those Zoggs. I'll look out for them. And a swimming ring sounds a good idea too.
@Leigh I am thinking a long the same lines as you. As my daughter is a bit of a worrier, I think it would be better for her to get used to the water in a smaller group before she starts lessons at school. Otherwise I think it would be too overwhelming. I may even think of lessons prior to her school lessons now you mention it.
dad
27 May, 2010
Sorry to read you have to stay away from water, but now I know what accounts for the smell ;-)
I've been the opposite with my boy, he has been regularly in the pool since he had his first set of jabs at 16 weeks. He started his first formal set of lessons in September, and has obtained a few badges since. He had actually had a lesson tonight, and I am very proud of him when he's in the pool. And on tonight's ride home he said "yes dad, I know, you say the same every week". Good luck with your introduction.
mum
28 May, 2010
Good post. I think it depends on the child. Mine are both water babies, but that's because Boy One wouldn't stay out of it when he was tiny.
He used to try to get into the sea, rivers, puddles, marinas... anything. He had no fear and so I rationalised that - as he looked like he was going to leap in anyway - he may as well know what to do.
Having tried many permutations of lessons, my advice is that quicker progress might be made from a few one-to-one lessons rather than terms and terms of big, noisy groups.
02 June, 2010
Swimming wa one of the things I really wanted my children to learn, as I can swim but was never confident in the water as a child and I figure it's a skill for life too. My children started lessons when they were about 5 months old, to be fair it was as much a social thing for me to meet new friends etc. My daughter is now 9 and has completed her Gold Award and 3000m and has joined the local swimming club and is working towards her Honours Award. My son is 5 and he has done his 100m and is working towards his Bronze Award. I've invested a lot of time and money over the years on swimming lessons, but I feel it's been well worth it. We also find swimming is a great and cheap way for us all to do something together too. :-)