Swimming Lessons:

At some point, most parents will try to teach their children how to swim. If you grow up with a pool in your yard you may never need formal swimming lessons, but the rest of us need to find a local pool that offers private or group lessons. One of the first questions that most parents have is - How old should my child be to start swim lessons? Most experts agree that it's never too early to introduce babies and infants to the water. We have taken both our kids to certified swim instructors at a place called Children of the Sea in Oregon. The program is well respected in the area and they move children along from basics to strokes. The premise behind the initial classes is water safety. Ultimately that's what parents should be shooting for when they sign their child up - being safe in a pool or water environment. Some of the infant swimming classes have the parents in the water with the kids to help keep them comfortable and interested. Once the kids have some basic skills, the parents are relegated to watching from the sidelines and allowing the children to blossom into full fledged swimmers.

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Swimming lessons are something all children should have since drownings are still fairly common. You will give your child the freedom they need whether at a friends pool, the ocean, or at a resort with waterslides. I can't imagine not knowing how to swim. My mother to this day does not know how to swim and her fear of water is what really ruins her life. It's hard for her to get into the shallow end of the pool with her grandkids. The best time of year to start swim lessons is early spring so your child can get used to the water in anticipation of pool activities in the summer. Some swim lesson schools run year round with indoor pools (like ours) so you can have your child enrolled well before summer ever hits. Many instructors say that most kids aren't going to learn to swim within 8 weeks of lessons, but that by the 2nd session of lessons they should be picking up all the basic skills. One thing that I really like about the swim school that we go to is that they have a heated indoor pool and all the kids are taught to wear goggles for the lessons. I can vividly remember my too big excuses as a kid in my lessons - the water is too cold and my eyes are irritated. Chidren of the Sea has eliminated the 2 biggest issues that children complain about. My daughter loves going to swim lessons as they make the learning environment fun and of course the water is like a bathtub. You need to research your local swimming holes to see which ones provide the best atmosphere for your child. Many sports clubs have indoor pools that offer private swim lessons and other neighborhood pools often have summer swim lessons either private or group. The YMCA is another excellent place to consider if you live near a city. The YMCA has been teaching people to swim for over a century and their aquatics programs are well recognized and effective. All swim teachers will tell you that the more time you can get your child into water in between lessons, the faster they will learn. Just which type of swim lessons are best - private or group? How much are they? Read below for details.

Private vs Group Swim Lessons:

I always thought that private swim lessons were the way to go. Pay a little extra money for one on one teaching and get a better learning environment. I think I was wrong. Many of our local swim lesson programs go off the notion that group lessons are better for beginners so that all kids watch other kids learning and feel more comfortable than just sitting by a pool with their mom or dad watching. Children are more inclined to try a new skill if other kids are doing it as well. Our daughter has thrived in a group environment since the competition has helped pushed her forward a bit. Not all children will do better in group swim lessons, but the vast majority will get off to a good start. Private swim lessons, or one on one teaching is something that most swim programs will reserve for children once they are ready to move onto more advanced swim strokes - freestyles, breast stroke, etc. Groups lessons are cheaper than private lessons as well. Our group swimming lessons last 30 minutes and there are never more than 3 kids in the group assuring all children get a decent amount of time having the teacher focus just on them. Most young kids have a hard time concentrating for more than a few minutes at a time anyways, so group lessons work best. Many swim instructors base the lessons on 8-10 week sessions with kids going once a week.

How much are swim lessons?:

The YMCA will probably have the best rates, either a nominal fee or free. In terms of schedules, you will probably find private swim programs have more classes and times available. Of course, you will pay more money at a swim school for lessons than at the Y. In any event, expect to pay at least $10 for 30 minutes of swim lessons. We pay about $155 for 10 weeks of lessons at our swim school. It works out to a little over $15/lesson and so far we are happy with the results. we have done 4 sessions for our daughter who is now 6 and she is swimming beautifully in a regulation size pool. The $600 has bought us peace of mind that she will be safe and that she knows basic water safety and some beginning strokes. We have found some local swim lessons offered in our neighborhood pool for a touch cheaper, but the water is colder in the pool and more kids are the in group lessons. Now we can go on vacation to a resort with pools and fun waterslides knowing our daughter will be safe and that she will enjoy it.

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