Infant swimming lessons are offered in Austin, Texas, by several public and private vendors. Classes vary by number of students, parent participation, class location and cost. Training can begin as early as 2 months, but most programs begin at age 6 months.
Why Infant Swimming Lessons?
Teaching your infant to swim can lead to a lifetime enjoyment of the water and can also be lifesaving. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children under 14 in Texas. In 2008, five children in the Austin area were victims of drowning.
Lessons Through the City of Austin
Swimming lessons are available at 22 neighborhood pools in the city and are directed by Austin Parks and Recreation. The Starfish I class introduces children age 6 to 18 months to the water and teaches them to feel comfortable and how to get in and out of the water safely. Class size ranges from six to eight members, and a parent or guardian must be present. Cost is $55 for eight sessions, as of August 2010. Registration is done only through fax, by mail or in person.
YMCA
The YMCA offers instruction at two locations. The Northwest Family Branch offers a parent and child swim class for ages 6 to 36 months, grouped together with up to eight infants per class. The Town Lake Branch breaks the training up into three separate age levels, with up to 10 children per class.
Parent Participation
Emler Swim School grants a free class for infants as early as 2 months old with its Bathtub Babies program. A free orientation lesson is also available for infants from 6 to 35 months. Beyond that, two levels of instruction are taught dealing with breath control and movement. Parents participate with their children.
Water Safety
Aqua-Tots has locations in five states and operates five locations in the Austin area. The Tadpole class teaches babies from 6 to 18 months a variety of water skills, including entering and exiting, floating and kicking. Parents also learn basic water safety and how to hold their children and introduce them to the pool environment.
Self-Rescue Swimming Skills
Infant Swimming Resource takes a different approach, not only acquainting infants to the water, but also teaching "Self-Rescue" swimming skills. Demonstrating how to roll back and float as well as swim-float-swim techniques, the classes are designed to instruct children how to react should they fall into the water alone. These privately taught classes can be done in your own pool.
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