Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in May 2011.
The Puget Sound area is a veritable treasure-trove of water locales. From the lakes to the Sound, and all the swimming pools in between, kids will spend plenty of time splashing around in the water this summer.
Even though parents are ultimately responsible for keeping their little ones safe, it is beneficial to equip kids with the knowledge of how to be cautious in the water. Enter swim lessons. For many Seattle-area parents, this activity ranks high on the priority list.
So, when should we get started? Kerrie Gordon, founder of Safe N Sound Swimming – a popular swim school in Seattle and Issaquah – recommends that kids begin lessons as soon as they get mobile and independent. This usually occurs sometime between 18 months and 2 years. Even though children progress faster when they are older, early exposure helps them enjoy and be at ease in the water.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a similar recommendation. Until last year, they advised parents to wait until their kids were 4 years old for swim lessons. They now claim that children as young as 1 can benefit. The impetus for this change was new data indicating that swim lessons may reduce the drowning risk for small children. The AAP still stresses, however, that swim skills are no match for watchfulness from parents.
For moms and dads with packed schedules, Gordon suggests putting in the time at the get-go. Spend the first few weeks giving the kids lots of exposure (she suggests three to five times a week in the water). Whatever the activity – lessons, a recreational swim or a dip in the lake – help them cement their ability through repetition.
“It should be like learning the piano,” Gordon says. “Kids go to their lesson only once a week, but they practice several more times throughout the week to build a foundation and skills.”
Safe N Sound Swimming is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The instructors devote most of their time to one-on-one lessons, which help children establish trust with their teachers and their environment. The bulk of the kids are between the ages of 2 and 7. In the lessons, safety is built in as an important part of the learning process.
Gordon cautions that there will be times when children learn quickly, and other times when it seems that they have hit a plateau. This impasse doesn’t mean that they’ve stopped learning, but likely means that they require a little space to put it all together.
Children who are coming along nicely with their swim skills, and who show the desire, could consider joining a swim team. Gordon suggests a correlation between a child’s competitiveness and the appropriate age for this activity. Children as young as 5 who thrive on competition might be ready to give it a try. Those who are more timid should probably wait a few years.
“Swim teams are a lot of hard work, but are fun for camaraderie,” Gordon says. “Swim meets for younger kids are often participation-based, so every child gets a ribbon.”
There are several public pools in the area that offer summer swim leagues and reputable lessons as well. Public lessons are typically a lot less expensive, but Gordon recommends that parents do a cost analysis based on the amount of one-on-one time a child has with their instructor. One of the best ways to find a good program is to ask other parents what has worked well for them.
Whether your child takes private or public lessons, learning to swim is a great way to keep kids active and helps them along with an important, lifelong skill. Give them lots of encouragement and ample time to splash around in the warm weather this summer.
