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Little Dippers

Little Dippers

Little Dippers is the last level where children can enter directly. We take children between 30 months old and four years old and no previous swimming experience is necessary. Because of the way our teachers are trained to support children of all abilities, in Little Dippers we can accommodate those who are new to swimming as well as those who have worked their way through the Puddle Ducks programme. Little Dippers is the first level where we introduce criteria, visible in your online account, where you can see what your little one is excelling at and where they might need some additional support. Those Little Dippers who fulfil the criteria before their 4th birthday are moved up to our Dippers class, a class for our more capable and confident little ones. Little Dippers is full of new skills to learn; back swimming, exhaling in the water, independently pushing from the wall, head down and swimming to adult, reaching under water for a sinking ring…the list goes on! Children are still supported in every way they need, physically and emotionally (a parent or guardian is in the water with them), and only moved forward at their own pace and when they tell us they are ready. 

What are the Learning Outcomes for your Little Dipper? 

  • Listen to teacher for controlled and safe, supervised independent entry to pool from poolside
  • Blow bubbles with nose or face at water’s surface
  • Travel on front using woggles with minimal adult support
  • Turn off the wall and push to parent
  • Learn to balance on a seahorse (with or without adult support)
  • Turn in a vertical position under the water with or without adult support
  • Hold onto wall independently and move up and down wall with no assistance
  • Swim short distances between teacher and adult with head down
  • Reach down under the water for a sinking ring
  • Kick 5m on back using a buoyancy aid with adult support
  • Enter the water from poolside/large float using a standing jump
  • Exit the water safely and in a controlled manner with minimal adult support

Click here to find your nearest Little Dippers class.


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