Swimming lessons allow your children to not only enjoy the water, but can also reduce the risk of them drowning due to a fall into the pool. Enrolling your child in swim lessons is one way to get your child started in swimming as a competitive sport. Swimming instructors must take and pass courses to teach children how to swim. These courses also cover emergency rescue, which allows parents the ability to relax while their child is in the supervision of the instructor.
What Age to Start
Children ages 1 through 4 are at risk for death due to drowning. In fact, drowning is the second-highest cause of death in these children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Due to these staggering statistics, many parents are encouraged to start their children in swimming lessons as early as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that swimming lessons can help prevent drowning in some young children. While the AAP does acknowledge the fact that swimming lessons can help, they do not recommend lessons for a child less than a year of age and advise that swimming lessons will not "drown-proof" a child regardless of age.
Where Lessons Are Available
Swimming lessons are available at most YMCA clubs and by individual instructors in your own pool. When deciding where your child will have swimming lessons, it is necessary to insure that the teacher is certified by the Red Cross or with YMCA standards. These two certifications are used by many recreational pools along with most water parks in the country. If you are hiring a private instructor, ask to see their certification. Instructors with the YMCA are required to pass the YMCA swimming instructor certification before instructing children.
What Child Will Learn
During swimming lessons, your child will learn many skills, depending on their age and proven skill level. The youngest children are taught how to hold their breath, keep their heads above water and how to roll over should they be face down in the water. As children age and gain confidence in the water, children are given more instruction on the proper way to perform swimming strokes and the flips required for swimming competition. If you are enrolling your toddler or preschooler in swimming lessons, be prepared to enter the water along with him for his lessons.
Private Or Group Lessons
Swimming lessons are cheaper when taken with a group vs. privately. While the price may be higher, private lessons are recommended for children who need one-on-one time with the instructor or who do not do well with large groups of people. Private lessons also benefit those whose age and skill level do not coincide with any group lessons offered near their home. For example, a 15-year-old who does not know how to swim will benefit from private lessons vs. the group lessons for children at her skill level where the students are routinely younger than the age of 5.
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