DD had her first lessons at 10.5 months. The real benefits she got were learning to climb out of the pool and how to hold her breath underwater. This was hugely beneficial last summer. She slipped and accidentally went under in the baby pool. She was totally calm about it, and just kept toddling on like nothing happened. The lessons were totally worth it IMO.
Post by gerberdaisy on Mar 26, 2015 14:16:25 GMT -5
I was just looking into it and a session starts at the end of April, DD will almost be 8 months. I think we'll try to do it. We spend so much time at the lake in the summer I want her to be comfortable around water.
I did a mommy and me class with DS1 when he was 2 and it wasn't worth the $$ IMO. I can sing songs and spin him around in the water without direction and on my own for less than $20/hr.
Our pool starts Swim America at 3. That's worth it.
Post by bananapancakes on Mar 26, 2015 14:39:38 GMT -5
We did a water baby Bootcamp class when he was 6-8 months but it was more for me than him. It was basically an aquafit class using the baby as resistance.
We start a "mommy and me" type class on Saturday. He's almost 1.
Post by winecheery on Mar 26, 2015 15:24:04 GMT -5
We started at 5 months. Got her comfortable and used to water. Stopped lessons at something like 10 months because we had access to an outdoor pool for free ( it was summer) and just continued to do our own "lessons" with the stuff they did in class.
We will start her up again when she's older and can learn to actually swim (2? 3???). I admit I want her in a toddler class for the regularity and camaraderie of it all, and from watching her peers try things she might not want to, but honestly, she's a total water baby on her own, and H takes her swimming at the YMCA every other week.
I'm very glad we started her so young though; she's never been scared of the water.
Start early. The 3 older ones started between 8 months and a year depending on their age the first June they were alive and over 8 months old. I have a teacher that has them swimming, underwater by the second week of class. They are also taught to climb up the side wall of the pool and get out. it is quite amazing. We don't take them to swim classes to learn strokes. We just teach them those as they show an interest.
Post by oliviapope on Mar 26, 2015 17:17:29 GMT -5
We started swim lessons for our older two at 18 mos for both. Both of them could swim the entire length of the pool before 2 and climb in and out. We were still always in there with them just in case, but once they turned 3 they were fine on their own.
My youngest is 15 months and starting next week. I don't do parent/child I do private. Plus we live on the water and have a pool so it is a necessary skill.
Post by iheartbanjos on Mar 26, 2015 17:34:19 GMT -5
We did a baby lesson w DD1 (one of the fancy ones) but didn't keep up with it. We started her at the Rec center when she was 3 and could do lessons without a parent.
DD2 will start at 3, but we go to the pool a lot during the summer, and maybe 1x month during the winter, so she will have plenty if exposure to the pool before then.