Top 5 Swimming Lesson Questions Answered

We get lots of questions here at Wide Bay Kids on lots of subjects.  One that pops up all the time is swimming lessons………luckily we know the lovely Donna from DNA Aquatics Learn to Swim who is always happy to help us get the right answers to you.

Here are the top 5 swimming lesson questions we get asked all the time as answered by Donna:

1.  How much are lessons and when are they usually held? – this question is not one I can really answer.  Whilst I can give you ball park figures and times about what goes on in my swim school you really need to make contact with a specific swimming school to obtain this information.

2.  What age is best to start lesson? – 6 months is ideal as children can be taught to float and to become familiar with water.  Swimming lessons at this age also help with the development of motor-skills and social interaction.

3.  When can my child swim with the instructor, I don’t want to have to go in? – children are known to benefit greatly when they have a parent in the water with them during lessons up to the age of 3 years.  Water is scary stuff and the development of confidence and independence needs to come from someone they trust………in the early stages of development children are most comfortable and trusting of parents.

4.  What happens if my child does not progress as fast as the other kids? – Just like all things in life swimming development is an individual thing and we all progress at different rates.  Children who take longer to progress usually catch up very quickly, especially when things click for them.  Whatever skill they are trying to master usually goes hand in hand with their developmental stage.  Once they reach that development milestone there is no holding them back. Repetition is also a key, children need to practice their skills consistency to improve.

5.  How many lessons should my child do per week? – Infants, usually one lesson per week is fine as long as water familarisation is continued at home, especially in the bath.  Learn to Swim age, usually 2 lessons per week is best to reinforce the repetition of learning a new skill.  For older kids doing lap swimming it is ideal to do 3 lessons per week. Mainly because at this level it is really about endurance and fitness.

We hope this was helpful and gives you more of an idea of when to start lessons, how many you need to do and at what stage you can sit on the side line and watch.  If you would like to make contact with Donna you can visit her website or like DNA Aquatics Learn to Swim on Facebook.

We’d like to say a big THANK YOU to Donna for helping us answer these questions.