Swimming is a skill I have always been insistent my children learn. Water can be so dangerous if children don't know how to swim and its everywhere we look from the beach to pools and on holiday. So booking swimming lessons was something top of my list and both James and Evelyn started swimming lessons around the age of 3.
James is now almost 9 and has really enjoyed swimming since the age of 3. He and Evelyn have always been water babies and so getting them into the pool was never difficult. James took to swimming lessons really well and moved up classes quickly once he had got the hang of the basic strokes. He was so excited last year to be invited to join a local swimming club which is where he now swims.
At the beginning he definitely found it tiring going from a 25 minute swimming lesson to a 1 hour non stop swim with the club. However his stamina quickly built up and now he swims twice a week with the club for an hour each time and still seems to have energy at the end.
Being part of a swim club has not only built up his stamina and strength but his confidence too. He loves that he can swim a length of the pool without taking a breath or can swim super fast, its lovely to see him being proud of himself and thriving at something. The club are great with the kids and quick at correcting mistakes whilst still staying positive and this really shows with the kids enthusiasm to get in the pool week after week. He recently took part in his first time trial, setting some great times especially since he told us he was feeling nervous. His times even qualified him to enter a gala with the swim club which he was very excited about.
Of course we also swim outside of lessons and regularly go for a "fun" swim as James and Evelyn call it. Swimming doesn't have to always be about learning, just visiting the pool as a family to splash around and play can build up lots of water confidence. It helps them build up strength and also learning about moving through the water and holding their breath. For us swimming is a life skill but also lots of fun! Knowing your child has water skills and the ability to swim/get to safety if they fall in to water can be a huge peace of mind when they are around water too.
Do your children swim? If so what age did your children start lessons?
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