Month: March 2020

Sometimes, it is rather easy to determine the right time to start swimming lessons – your child really wants to! “Hey mum, hey dad, I want to swim, no matter how long swimming lessons might be!” And that’s your cue!

Other times, though, your kid may be unwilling to start swimming, and you need to do a bit of encouragement before starting swimming lessons. Or, your child has a slight fear of water, in which case you should wait, talk, and by no means force your child into water prematurely.

But, there are some general opinions on at what age you should sign up your children for kids swimming lessons in San Diego and we’re here to share them with you!

What age can you start swimming lessons?

First things first, you have to understand that your child is almost never too young to start taking swimming lessons at a local swimming pool. Yes, you should probably wait for your child to celebrate their first birthday, but other than that, you cannot be too early.

There are even swimming lessons for babies under a year old, where they learn how to float, splash, kick, etc. This can prepare your kid for more serious swimming lessons once they get older.

Can a 2 year old swim?

Of course your 2-year-old can swim! But only if they learn how to swim in a safe, controlled environment. The sooner your child learns the basics of swimming the better. This will ensure your kid has plenty of time later on to focus on the important safety aspects of swimming and different styles and techniques.

This will ensure your child not only learns how to swim, but also become a good swimmer who places safety in water as a top priority. And that’s the most important aspect of learning how to swim, is it not?

What is the best age to start swimming lessons?

Once upon a time, American Academy of Pediatrics advised that kids should not start formal swimming lessons before the age of 4. However, they’ve since realized that swimming offers important benefits from an early age, and have now changed their opinion to anytime after the age of 1.

Learning how to swim at such a young age is great, the sooner the better we say. However, sometimes, a child is not willing to get into the water at such a young age due to fear, anxiety, or some other reason.

That’s why, depending on the case, we say that the perfect age to start going to swimming classes is very individual. Some kids love water from an early age, others don’t. That’s why you should pay attention to your child’s desires and act accordingly while trying to solve potential problems along the way.

How long does it take kids to learn to swim?

The time your child will need to learn how to swim is, again, highly individual. However, there are some general guidelines that focus on safe swimming.

A kid can learn to float, swim, and play in water in a relatively short amount of time. But, being safe in the water is most important. Let’s see how long it would take your kid to learn how to swim depending on when they join swimming lessons:

• If your child starts learning how to swim between the ages of six and eighteen months, it will take them about a year and a half of swim classes to learn how to swim well and become completely safe in water.
• If your kid starts taking swimming lessons between the ages of eighteen months and three years, it will be about a year of swimming classes before they start stroking with the best of them.
• Finally, if your child starts swimming lessons after the age of three, it will take about half a year of regular swimming lessons to learn how to behave responsibly and safely in water.

We have to emphasize that the younger your child is when they learn how to swim, the better as it means your child will become a stronger and safer swimmer sooner.

What other aspects affect the amount of time needed to learn how to swim?

However, there are some other aspects that affect how long your child will need to learn how to swim:

1. Frequency – The more regularly your child attends swimming lessons, the sooner they will learn how to swim.
2. Fear – If your child doesn’t fear water, there will be nothing stopping them from learning how to swim in a shorter amount of time.
3. Ability – Some kids have better motor skills and coordination than other kids, and this will greatly affect the speed at which a child learns how to swim.

How many swimming lessons does a child need?

A rule of thumb is that it usually takes about thirty lessons for a kid to be able to swim from one side of the pool to the other without the help of the instructor, but other than that, it all boils down to every child individually.

Everybody is different, everybody learns at a different rate, and there’s no fixed number of lessons that everyone would need to learn how to swim. Our only advice is not to quit swimming lessons at the first sign that your child is starting to swim independently.

Don’t rush it and allow your child to really learn everything there is to learn about swimming. It’s better to take a couple of lessons more than fewer. Swimming safely is most important, and it takes some time to learn how to do that.

“Where can I find the most engaging kids swimming lessons in San Diego?”

Finding good swimming lessons is not as easy a task as it seems at first and finding dependable and experienced swimming instructors for your child is really important. That is why The Plunge San Diego should be your only stop if you’d like your kid to learn how to swim.

We organize individual and group swimming lessons, and you can attend those that suit both your and your child’s individual preferences. Why not take your child to our pool to check it out instead of the San Diego Zoo? We’ll teach them how to swim, so feel free to stop by!

Hm, what are the things parents should know about swimming classes? Is it when it’s the best time for a kid to start swimming? Maybe it’s how to help your child defeat his fear of water? Or, perhaps, it’s how to motivate a child who is unwilling to learn how to swim?

Is it perhaps all of the above? Whatever it is you should know before taking your child to his first of many swim lessons in San Diego, we will share with you!

What are the benefits of swimming lessons?

Have you ever stopped to think why so many parents decide to take their kids to organized swimming lessons?

There are numerous benefits of professionally planned swimming lessons, and here are the biggest ones:

1. Safety – Swimming lessons involve more than just swimming. During these classes, your kid will learn how to float on water, get out of the water without using the ladder, find his way back to the surface, etc. Safety is important, especially when learning to swim.
2. Social skills – If you opt for group swimming lessons, these classes can prove a great place for your child to further develop social skills, make new friends, and learn how to function as a member of a team.
3. Mental development – Swimming is also a great way for your child to strengthen the connection between the mind and the body. Swimming fosters intelligence and brain development, and it also provides a boost to all the senses.
4. Confidence – When attending organized swimming lessons, your child will participate in a series of meticulously planned activities, each designed for your child to learn at their level. That will give your kid a boost of confidence after every successful attempt.
5. Destressing – Finally, swimming lessons help your kid let off some steam. We usually have little idea that our children, especially in this day and age, are under stress too. Swimming lessons help them relieve it.

Why should I take my child to swimming lessons?

There are numerous reasons to take your child to swimming lessons, some of which you could have read just a few seconds ago. However, perhaps the greatest reason to take your kid to swimming lessons is your child’s health:

• Swimming works all the major muscle groups equally and gives your child an opportunity to exercise almost without being aware of it.
• Swimming burns calories as well, so if you notice your kid is starting to gain a bit of extra weight, swimming lessons are a great way for your child to maintain a healthy weight.
• Swimming also promotes cardiovascular health and greatly improves lung capacity and health.
• Swimming is an awesome way for your child to increase their stamina and endurance, which is very important for a healthy life.
• Swimming, lastly, does wonders for your child’s posture and balance.

How long should swimming lessons last?

If you’re looking to find out how long swimming lessons for kids should last, here’s our list of the recommended duration of swimming lessons based on the child’s age:

1. 6-18 months – Swimming lessons should last up to half an hour and they should be filled with fun activities, such as splashing, kicking, and floating.
2. 2-5 years – As your child gets older and stronger, so increases the duration of swimming lessons. At this age, an ideal swim class should last from 30 to 45 minutes. Swimming lessons should revolve around interesting games that teach different swimming techniques.
3. 6-9 years – Now it’s time for real swimming and an hour of it! Well, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Children of this age have a longer attention span and they can learn complex techniques, as well as extremely important tips on safety. However, swim classes should still incorporate some fun activities and games.

“Where can I take my kid to fun & engaging swim lessons in San Diego?”

If you’d like your child to learn how to swim quickly and easily, and while having bucket loads of fun in the process, then there’s only one place to do it – The Plunge San Diego. We offer both private swimming lessons if you’d like your kid to start off alone and group lessons if you’d like your kid to socialize with friends while learning how to swim.

Whichever suits you and your child best, we can offer, and we’ll do it with a great dose of professionalism, dedication, and safety. So, instead of taking your kid to Belmont Park today, why not stop by our place instead? Let us teach your kid how to swim!