Floaties classes are for babies from 0-9 months. If your baby is between 6-9 months and had previous swimming lesson experience, you can book into our Splashers class.
Splashers classes are for babies between 6-15 months. If your baby is between 6-9 months and has no swimming lesson experience, you should book into our Floaties class.
Splashers classes are for babies between 6-15 months. If your baby is between 6-9 months and has no swimming lesson experience, you should book into our Floaties class.
Floaties classes are for babies from 0-9 months. If your baby is between 6-9 months and had previous swimming lesson experience, you can book into our Splashers class.
Puddle Ducks operates a monthly payment system where customers pay in advance to secure their space in their class. When you join Puddle Ducks, your joining payment will be for enough lessons to take you just past the date of your first monthly payment (this date varies depending on where you swim). Monthly payments will be 4 x lesson fee.
Location & Directions
Mercure Haydock Park Hotel, Penny Lane, Haydock, Merseyside, WA11 9SG
Location: Haydock Park Hotel – Next to Haydock park Race Course. Follow signs to Haydock Park Racecourse onto the A49 North towards Ashton-in-Makerfield. Once on the A49, take the first left, go under the bridge and take the next left into the hotel entrance.
Parking: Access to the main car park is from the entrance. There is a barrier that will raise automatically once your number plate has been scanned. Please then access the Health Club by walking round the outside to the right of the hotel. On arrival at the leisure suite please ensure you provide your registration number on the device located on the reception desk and make a note of the exit code; Puddle Ducks customers have a complimentary parking for up to 3 hrs car parking, after that charges will be applied. Kindly note the hotel is often very busy so parking can be limited during the week. Please allow plenty of time to find a space
A well-fitting neoprene swim nappy must be worn with a disposable swim nappy or one of our environmentally friendly NappyWraps & Liners underneath if your child is in Floaties, Splashers or Kickers and in other programmes if they are not yet fully potty/toilet trained. Why not buy one of our great value Starter Packs which contain everything you need for your swim lesson
What to bring
At least one towel or hooded towel for your youngster. These can be taken to the poolside.
A neoprene baby wrap, baby wetsuit or thermal top if your child is likely to get cold in the water. A great selection can be found in our online shop.
Some milk for your baby or a healthy snack for your toddler/child (please leave these in the car as for health and safety reasons we cannot allow food in the changing rooms or at poolside).
If needed, a wipeable changing mat that can be placed on the changing room floor for you to change your baby on.
Your own swimwear and towel if you are going in the pool with your child (a parent or guardian will be in the water in all of our Baby & Pre-school classes
Changing Rooms
Please sign in at the leisure club reception on arrival. There are female and male changing rooms along with 2 overflow changing rooms that can be used during busy periods. There are lockers provided please bring a padlock with you to use for any valuables.
Aim to arrive no more than 15 minutes before your lesson and try to leave by 15 minutes after your class to help avoid changing room congestion.
For the same reason, please don’t bring buggies or car seats into the building. Buggies can be left under the stairs outside the leisure club entrance
Please take your used nappies home.
Most parents find it easiest to wrap their child in a hooded towel or robe and dress themselves before dressing their little one (but if it is very cold in winter, dress your little one first).
No snacks in the changing room please.
Please wring out your costumes at a drainage point rather than onto the changing room floor.
Additional Pool Information
We respectfully request only 1 spectator per swimmer at this venue. Spectators can view from the café area in front of the Leisure Club reception desk.
Any photography permitted will only be conducted at the end of each lesson in "Splashtime" and will only be permitted if your child/relative is moved to the side of the pool away from the rest of the customers so that they are not visible in the image.
In line with our Terms and Conditions there should be no personal photography or videography by either parents or spectators in any of our lessons or in our changing rooms at any of our venues. The use of any devices capable of recording images is strictly prohibited in changing areas. Full details relating to this policy can be found on the following link here, however the key point is there is strictly no photography anywhere at anytime unless authorised directly by and under the supervision of the teacher. Kindly note in all instances the decision of the Puddle Ducks teacher is final.
There is a care area located just next to the leisure club reception over looking the pool or alternatively Puddle Ducks customers are welcome to use the hotel lounge. Kindly note eating and drinking (post swimming snacks included) is not permitted in any changing rooms or inside any of our venues. Across our pools and venues there are children and parents alike who suffer from food allergies some of which can be life threatening so on this basis we ask that snacks and drinks are not consumed at any venue to avoid the risk of contact which could result in someone becoming very poorly.
Parents can bring their newborn as soon as they feel ready - our youngest Puddle Duck was just over a week old! We advise to allow the umbilical cord to have healed over to avoid infection, but you don't need to wait until your baby has had their jabs.
We find that babies - as they have spent 9 months in their own watery world - have a natural affinity in our carefully selected, warm pools.
Our programme is progressive, so you can join at any time. Each of the programmes focuses on nurturing confidence - our teachers know that children develop and learn at different rates, so will adjust each activity to get the best out of each child and encourage positive progression.
If you know that you won't be able to attend before the class takes place, you can let us know via your My Puddle Ducks account on both your Overview page and also your My Children page by clicking on ‘Let us know you can’t attend a lesson’ and following the instructions. This will generate a Courtesy Class for you to then use against any lesson where there is space in the next 6 months (provided you are currently in paid-for lessons). Read more in our Courtesy Classes FAQs.
If your child has a chest, ear, throat or eye infection they shouldn’t swim until it has completely cleared.
Please don’t bring your child to the pool during, or for two weeks after, suffering from diarrhoea.
Going swimming is unlikely to worsen a mild cold and will not increase the likelihood of an ear infection unless your baby has a perforated eardrum.
Please do not bring your child to a swimming class with anything that could be infectious, such as chickenpox, which is considered infectious until all the blisters have dried up.
It’s worth remembering that children are often exhausted after an illness and need some time to recuperate before returning to their swimming lessons.
We can’t offer a refund for missed classes, your payment secures your place in your class and the class takes place as usual if you are unable to attend but this is why we offer Courtesy Classes, because we understand life doesn’t always go to plan with a little one!
If your child is in our Baby & Pre-school programme then yes, you will be in the water with them throughout the lesson, these sessions provide a fabulous bonding experience between you and your child and is all about building their water confidence.
Back to local pools
