We get lots of children joining our classes between the ages of 2.5 and 4. Some will have come from other swimming schools, some will be in the pool for the very first time, and some will have just done leisure swimming with their families. As we treat each child who comes swimming with us as an individual, it really doesn't matter, and we will work with your child to help them learn to swim beautifully, and love and respect the water.
Below we have answered some of the key questions you might have about bringing your preschooler swimming!
Have I left it too late?
Definitely not! It is never too late to learn to swim. Swimming is an essential life skill and something we should encourage our children to learn to do at any age. Here are some of the reasons why you should start now, whatever age your child:
Water-safety and eventually life-saving skills are built into every Puddle Ducks lesson. It is never too late or too early to equip your child with these skills
Family holidays are so much more fun and relaxing when your children can happily and confidently play either in the pool or the sea. Swimming lessons play a vital role in making your holidays more enjoyable for the whole family
The government have made it policy for all children to be able to swim 25m, unaided by the time they leave primary school. Most of our little Puddle Ducks can do this by the time they turn 6 years’ old. Give your child the head start they deserve and instil a love of swimming in them for life. Children who are just learning to swim when they are around 7 are often put off because they feel as though they are already behind their peers
My child is really confident already - will they learn anything in your lessons?
We find children of this age can fall into two categories - a bit scared of the water, or over-confident! We can work with both! With very confident children we want to retain their love of water, so in our lessons we will be teaching them to refine their strokes and skills. preparing them for classes when you aren't in the water. We don't just want them swimming across the pool any old how, so it might seem as though we are slowing them down at the beginning, but we are just looking to prepare them for learning the key strokes in our Swim Academy sessions, and to consistently exhale while doing so! We are also working on discipline, and following instructions, again so they can get the most out of their classes as you become less involved in the water.
We also work with their natural confidence to teach them respect for the water, and vital water safety skills to channel that energy and make sure they stay safe.
My child is very nervous around water - will they be OK in classes with children who have been coming for years?
Being nervous around water is very common in children around this age, and we see it all the time. Every child who comes to a Puddle Ducks class is treated as an individual, and our teachers will work with you and your child to make them happy and confident. We never force children to participate in any activity they are not comfortable with, and if your child does not want to go underwater we adapt all our activities to suit them. We find that this gentle and personalised approach often leads to children wanting to join in with the rest of the class pretty quickly.
Where are your classes?
These are the classes where we currently have spaces, if there is nothing suitable on this list then please get in touch with us, as we can place you on a waiting list for a class that works for you!
Sunday: 10.30: Littlehampton (1 space left!)
Sunday: 14.30: Portsmouth (1 space left!)
How can I find out more?
Click on a link above, fill out our enquiries form, and we will get back to you! Alternatively, if you know exactly which class you want to book on to the enquiries form will take you on to a booking form, and you can pay for your block of classes and start swimming straight away!