OK. Here’s the thing: swimming is not just a fun activity; it’s an essential life skill that every child should learn. We have found it EXTREMELY important to introduce Jack & Noah to swimming basics from an early age because water safety is something we take super seriously. In this blog post, I’m going to cover the basics of swim lessons for preschoolers and provide you with valuable tips and tricks to ensure a positive and successful experience for your little swimmer! Both Jack and Noah started off being TERRIFIED of the water but with the right lessons and instructions – both have turned into little fish!
SWIM LESSON BASICS: TIPS & TRICKS FOR YOUR PRESCHOOLER
1. Start Early, Start Slow:
- Introduce your preschooler to water gradually, starting with shallow pools or calm bodies of water where they can comfortably touch the bottom. We go to public pools in the summer that have kiddie pools that are a foot deep so they can play without feeling stressed about the depth.
- Begin with simple water play activities to build confidence and familiarity with being in the water before progressing to formal swim lessons – we play with water tables and splash pads as well!
- We introduce our kids to the water (outside of bath time) really young so they can develop essential skills necessary to becoming good swimmers.
2. Choose the Right Instructor and Program:
- We were at Foss Swim School for about a year before we switched over to Barron Swim. We really enjoyed Foss – but have found Barron to be way less corporate and much more personable to the family as a whole. We have felt SO taken care of at Barron, from start to finish.
- The class sizes are small, which is ideal. Jack is actually in a class all on his own, which is awesome. He gets tons of individual attention and has grown LEAPS and bounds since starting at Barron. He is swimming on his own, safely in the water and it’s amazing to see.
- Noah is in a small class with other kids under 2 and really enjoys the water games. At his age, it’s a parent and tot class which means I get into the water with him. It’s great to see him getting more and more comfortable and excited to go to class.
CHECK OUT BARRON SWIM HERE & USE CODE LATELY15 AT CHECK OUT FOR A DISCOUNT! Plus – right now they are registering for their summer accelerated program: aka, 4 classes in a week! We are signed up. Join us!
3. Focus on Water Safety Outside of Lessons:
- Teaching your preschooler basic water safety rules, such as never swimming alone, staying within arm’s reach of an adult, and asking for permission before entering the water is going to be KEY.
- Practice floating, kicking, and arm movements with your child to help them develop essential swimming skills and survival techniques – we practice at the pool all summer long even when we aren’t in swim lessons!
- Invest in appropriate swim gear, including flotation devices, swim diapers, and UV-protective swimwear, to ensure a safe and comfortable swimming experience. It’s a little controversial in some circles when it comes to flotation devices like puddle jumpers, but we personally like them for when we are swimming with friends.
