Whether you have big swim team plans for your child or you want them to be comfortable in the pool, swim lessons are an important first step. But when it comes to starting training, there is an ideal age range you should aim for. To learn more about when you should start your child in swim classes, consider the following guidelines.

A Guide to Enrolling Children in Swim Lessons

How Young Is Too Young?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should not have formal swim lessons until after they are four years old. In fact, enrolling infants and toddlers in swimming lessons does not effectively protect them against drowning. This is because very young children don’t have good breath control and can’t hold their breath for long periods. Even if your child had swim lessons as a baby or toddler, parents should still be within arm’s reach when they’re around water.

How Can You Prepare Them?

Exposing your child to water at an early age is still a good way of helping them feel more comfortable, but it’s important to make them aware of the potential for drowning, especially when it comes to swimming in the ocean. Once your child reaches their fourth birthday, this is the perfect time to begin swim lessons.

Even after they’ve learned how to swim, it’s best to supervise children when they’re in the pool or around bodies of water. And age isn’t always an indicator of swim skills. While some kids are naturally inclined to be comfortable in the water, some older kids might still be weak swimmers, so always watch over children when they’re swimming.

 

If you and your little ones are looking for fun activities in Dayton, OH, stop by Greene Valley Recreation Club. They offer comprehensive swim lessons for children, and they have a fully supervised swimming pool to keep kids entertained for hours. With 20 sprawling acres of recreational space, this is the place to be during summer. Visit them online to check out their swim lessons schedule, and call (937) 426-3273 to get in touch.