At What Age Should My Child Start Swimming Lessons?

Sun-drenched beaches, bustling rec centers and the social hub of the neighborhood backyard pool all lure your little one to the water's edge. Unfortunately, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages one to four. Learning to swim should be at the top of the priority list for every family. It is an important life skill that can play a key role in helping to prevent drowning. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends children should start formal swimming lessons as young as 1 year old, which can help reduce the risk of drowning by as much as 88%.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children under 5

“Drowning is the single leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4,” said Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement, Prevention of Drowning published by AAP earlier this year. “Many of these deaths occur when children are not expected to be swimming or when they have unanticipated access to water. Toddlers are naturally curious; that’s why we must implement other strategies, such as pool fencing and door locks.”

What are some of the benefits of baby swimming lessons

Even prior to the end of their first year, babies as young as six months old can benefit from pool time in the arms of a trusted adult. Infant swim lessons allow your child to enjoy the water before they have a chance to learn fear. Positive pool experiences help babies remain calm so they can progress to learn effective water navigation skills such as kicking and back floats. The sooner your baby is exposed to the water environment, the sooner they will learn to respect and enjoy it.

The benefits of baby and toddler swim lessons extend beyond the pool. The sensory and motor stimulation resulting from pool time creates new neurons that positively impact confidence and even intelligence. Movements that are bilateral, or use both sides of the body, help increase the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain which will later help with skills like language development, spatial awareness and reading.

Prepare Your Infant for swim lessons at Home in the Bathtub

If you're not ready to sign up for a swim class just yet, you can still help your infant learn some very basic swimming skills in the convenience of your own bathtub. Introduce vocabulary, such as "kick" and "splash," that they'll hear later from an instructor. Gently pour water over their head following a countdown of "1, 2, 3." to prepare your baby to eventually go under the water and hold their breath. Lay your child on their back in shallow water to orient them to a back float. As their comfort level grows, gradually increase the depth of the water until you are supporting them in a full float on their back. Most important, have fun to create a good experience for your budding swimming enthusiast.

Get Toddlers Swimming Quickly with Private Swim Lessons

Private swim lessons are the most effective option for teaching toddlers how to swim in the least amount of time possible. A one on one ratio allows the instructor to individualize each lesson to the students particular needs and abilities. Toddlers can learn important water safety skills quickly, such as how to swim back to the wall after a fall into the pool. Group swimming programs can often take years to learn the same water safety skills that toddlers can learn within weeks in private swim lessons. After toddlers learn how to swim under the water and recover for either a pop up breath or rollover breath they can begin to learn the basics of freestyle, backstroke, elementary backstroke, floating and diving underwater.

Work with Experienced Swimming Instructors

Teaching a baby or toddler to swim is much different than teaching an elementary aged child. It is very important that parents seek out instructors that have ample experience working with young children. Experienced swim instructors will use age-appropriate games, songs and activities to make toddlers feel comfortable in this new environment while learning new swimming skills. Swim instructors should also be CPR/First Aid certified and insured.

In addition to swimming lessons, the AAP recommends parents take the following steps to reduce the risk of childhood drowning:

1. Install an isolation swimming pool fence that is a minimum of 4 foot, 4-sided and separates the pool from the house and the rest of the yard with a self-latching and self-closing gate.
2. When visiting a home or business with a pool or hot tub, parents "should carefully assess the premises to ensure basic barriers are in place, such as sliding door locks and pool fences with closed gates in good working order and ensure that supervision will be consistent."
3. During a pool party, parents and adults should take turns as the “designated water watcher” and focus 100% of their attention on the kids playing in or around the pool.
4. If at a beach or a lake, choose a location with a lifeguard and a designated swim area.
5. Always teach kids to stay away from bodies of water, even when they are covered in ice.
6. Learn CPR
7. While infants and toddlers are in or around the water an adult should always be within arms reach to provide “touch supervision.”

Keeping Kids Safe in the Water

Even the most comprehensive and successful water training program isn't enough to drown-proof your child. Young children should never be in the water unsupervised, not even for a moment, and infants and toddlers should be within your arm's reach at all times. Swimming lessons for children of any age are designed to reduce the chance of accidental drowning but can't guarantee to prevent it completely. Even if your little one was the star of the class, you should still be vigilant in your supervision to ensure that the water provides positive experiences for years to come.