3 Considerations When Booking Children's Swimming Lessons

Being able to swim is an important life skill that can keep a child safe in and near water and open the doors to other activities that may interest them, such as surfing or water-skiing. Booking swimming lessons for your child can allow you to feel more relaxed around water and build your child's self-confidence as they progress and achieve a new skill. However, with so many different swimming lesson providers and lesson options available you may be wondering what to take into consideration when booking swim lessons for your child. Here are three key considerations to keep in mind when booking children's swimming lessons.

The Swim Program Offers Progression

When you invest in swimming lessons for your child, you'll want to make sure your chosen provider offers a clear route for progression so that you don't have to move your child on to a new provider once they've learned the basics. Opt for a swim program that will take your child all the way from beginner to lifeguard skills, as this will ensure they end their swimming lesson journey as confident, strong swimmers who are capable of swimming significant distances using a variety of strokes and understand how to get themselves out of risky water situations.

The Swim Program Is Child-Centred

A child-centred swim program will be more enjoyable for your child, as it focuses on their wellbeing and their individual progress rather than measuring their performance against an arbitrary target. Focusing on the child and providing the support each child requires in order to progress ensures there are no gaps in your child's swimming education. A child-centred environment will also encourage your child to confidently speak up when there's something they're not quite understanding or don't feel they've fully got the hang of.

The Learning Environment Is Safe And Appropriate

Your child should have swimming lessons in an age-appropriate atmosphere that allows them plenty of room in the pool to practice the skills they're learning, so try to opt for lessons that take place when the pool is closed to other groups. Touch supervision is also important, and this simply means that the instructor is within arm's reach of your child during the lesson. This ensures your child has the help they need right away if they get into trouble or panic in the water. It's also good to opt for lessons that take place in a temperature-controlled pool, as young children have an increased risk of developing cold-related illnesses when swimming in cold water.

Swimming lessons should be fun and challenging for your child, and learning to swim is a great way to be active. A good swimming lesson provider will be happy to discuss their program in detail with you and even let you sit in on a lesson before booking a block of lessons for your child, so don't hesitate to ask about what's important to you before booking.