Are infant/baby swim lessons necessary?

[beachdweller]

I did the lessons this year at 16 months and they are pretty worthless IMO if you have other avenues to get kiddo in the water. I would not bother with 6 month lessons. Just getting him in the water will get you to the same place and be more fun for you!

[Deleted]

My baby used to freak out in the pool. This ruled out lessons. He's now finally enjoying the pool... but lessons didn't fit with our schedule this summer.

I don't really think it matters until later on - maybe around 3 or 4 years old. He does dunk himself (by accident) and not freak out, which is sort of all the early lessons achieve.

[ijack]

I thought they were a waste of money at that point - they just sing and play games in the water.

[sewpinkgal]

Honestly, I feel like the lessons are Mommy and Me in the water. However, my kid loves water, we're not paying for any other structured classes right now and it's another fun activity to do each week - for those reasons, it's a great fit for us and we'll likely continue them for the forseeable future.

[jenny1223]

We just take DS to the pool to get him used to the water. I can see the lessons being a good way to make sure you get some time with the baby in the water. We have a pool in our neighborhood so I see lessons as a waste of money at this point (6 months).

[bunch]

We did them because it was something to do. As far as instruction goes, mine didn't have any. Taking her to the pool on my own would have been just as good.

[MamaMaui24]

If you are serious about lessons, I would find an ISR instructor vs. traditional lessons for this young of age. I wouldn't worry if you're missing out on the "play" swim lessons.

www.infantswim.com/

[birdmom]

I can't swim and really wanted DS to learn, so I put him in the infant swim classes at 14 months. We dropped out after 2 lessons. The water was cold, DS hated the flotation device that they made him wear, and all they did was sing songs and stuff. We have him in the pool all the time and we've had him get used to it that way. IMO, skip the lessons until he's a little older.

[drloretta]

Agreed that "lessons" that early on are just getting them comfortable in the water so they don't freak out

DD never had lessons until 18 months. Before that I took her in the pool a few times and she LOVED it. The first (18 month) class was "here's the water, it won't hurt you". The one she took at 2 was ever so slightly more advanced, but I don't expect her to actually learn to swim until she's more like 5 or 6. They did start to introduce basic concepts as games: blow bubbles in the water to "talk to the fishies" and turn your head to "listen to the fishes". Basic swimming stuff she'll use when she learns certain strokes, but not until much later.

[pamela]

I think that point the lesson is more for you than them, especially for parents that aren't comfortable with holding their kids in the water. I wouldn't worry about not being in a formal class. Just getting them accustomed to being in the water is the important part at this age so they don't freak out when it's time for real swim lessons.

[starlily]

We just take J into the pool or ocean with us, usually with floaties & some water toys. MH is a strong swimmer & I'm an okay swimmer, so we're comfortable with that. So far she likes it and we'll pursue formal lessons eventually, but probably not until she's able to be in the water alone - so maybe 4 or 5? That's when I learned.

[galaxy8227]

Jul 23, 2012 15:01:47 GMT -5 bunch said:

We did them because it was something to do. As far as instruction goes, mine didn't have any. Taking her to the pool on my own would have been just as good.

This is why we did it. It was just something fun for us to do together. But I did feel it made me more comfortable holding him in the water after they showed us a variety of holds/poses

[nabum]

We did lessons when H hit 7ish months and they were kind of a waste. he LOVES the water but there isn't much to learn at this point. We will do lessons again next year before summer so that he's pool safe going into summertime.

[GailGoldie]

certainly not necessary. Not bad either...

we didn't do any swimming lessons with DS1 until he was 3.5yo. Until then he'd splash around with us in the pool, etc. Same with the twins- they will start formal lessons this fall at 3.5yo.

Griffin is 5 and is just starting to swim totally on his own this year... so starting at 3.5 didn't hurt him at all. One of my twins is a natural and i think will be swimming next summer after he starts lessons - he's almost doing it on his own alraedy without lessons.

so- do it if you want and have time/money... but don't worry about it until later if you don't have time/money now.

[oukapu]

I knew someone who did swim lessons where the baby learned to swim/float. I guess it is like the link.

We just splash around.

[Deleted]

I found them to be a waste. We aren't starting lessons again until DD is 3. Right now she swims about 1-2x a week and plays around but nothing formal. Hopefully in a few months she will be comfortable enough to actually learn to swim.

[schrodinger]

I think if a child is under 3-4 and really timid around water, that lessons or more time in the pool is a good stepping stone to get them ready for instructional lessons. Under 3 is usually more about social time, splashing, and learning to rules around a pool. When I taught swim lessons (a looooong time ago!) you could always pick out the kids that had been around the water a long time as they were the ones that usually didn't have to repeat any classes and got moved up to higher classes faster.

[Deleted]

I've heard that the ISR lessons are helpful but none of my friends had a chance to take them. We won't sign up DS for a class until next summer at the earliest. Right now, he loves the water and runs towards any fountain he sees. He loves the pool as well so I am happy to just hang out for now.