Swimming lessons- what things do they do?

Df is planning to take DD to the pool alot this summer and wants to teach her himself then later down the track when she is a bit older we'll start lessons.
She has been to the pool few times and we just play with her in the water to get her adjusted and familiar with it. She hates water on her face and head and gets upset so we want to work past this (even in bath or shower she is the same)
Anyway just want to know what activities your toddlers are doing in swin lessons so that we have an idea of things we can do.

We are still working on water on face with DD#1! which is why we got her into swimming lessons this past term. The teacher has been absolutely brilliant with her - going from DH having to hold DD the whole lesson to now she wears goggles and is happy to jump around in the shallow end unassisted! :dance: We bought her clear goggles that suction really well around her eyes and now we can 'accidentally' splash her and she doesn't fuss (only light splashes still but its an improvement!) Shower time is so much better but she still insists on the flannel over her eyes but she is so much more relaxed. (we have introduced goggles at shower time, lol!)

The other thing the teacher does is uses a childs watering can and they are gently conditioning DD to have water drip more and more down her face - but they only go as far as she's comfy.

Its all fun and games with leg kicking, doggy paddling etc but moving forward an inch each lesson :)

DD#2 is booked in for lessons next year :D and I've observed the teachers as well as the advocate Laurie who takes babies and dips them under water but it seems to be in a swimming motion and always towards the parent. He also teaches counting to 3 and then pouring water over the child's head (this is from a young age so not sure about older ones who are more aware and wary of water on their faces)

Just has to be lots of fun, one step at a time and at the childs pace, with the occasional 'stretching' if that makes sense, hehehehe

hth :)

We've had DS in lessons since he was 6 months old. We got every Saturday morning and he LOVES it! They sing songs and play games, but beneath that is the true lesson. They're learning about water, how to swim and safety and don't even realise it. As soon as we put his swimming costume on, he squeals with delight and can't wait to go! :D

In our class they do things like...

Humpty Dumpty - They sing the song and then fall off the wall into the water. SPLASH!

If you're happy and you know it - They sing and splash the water and the parents lift them up high and splash them back down. Always gets loads of giggles and smiles.

Motor boats - Another song, but they learn to put their faces in the water and blow bubbles.

They then put their backpacks on and arm bands and learn to kick and paddle after toys floating in the water. The instructor comes up and pours water over their heads with a watering can.

They walk on a giant foam floating foot and jump off the end... they also sing the Speckled Frog song on the same foot and get tipped off into the water, which they all love.

They pass them under the water from parent to instructor. They count 1,2,3 and then blow air on their faces to make them hold their breath under the water.

We're just about to go to the next class, because DS is almost 18 months old. But, he's loved every minute. It's such a great time for all involved and a great way for DH to spend some very important "Daddy and Me" time with our DS.

HTH

Hi I'm a swimming teacher and I we do things very similar to the lessons that Celsie goes to except for the arm bands and bubbles on the childs back...

As far as your dd not liking water on her face... I'd suggest putting her in the shower with you ar dh everyday and just make a game out of going under.. It will take time but you will see improvement over a few weeks. Yes you will most likely have lots of tears but just remember that you are helping her become confident with water. I would also suggest putting her into swimming lessons NOW instead of waiting. We start littlies off from 6 months and most of them have either been in the shower or pool b4 this age.

Remember whatever you guys do.... MAKE SURE IT IS FUN AND A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE for ALL of you :)

With the water on the face, MJ use to hate it, so we count 1, 2, 3 GO and on Go we por a cup of water over her head and then do lots of clapping and laughing. We do this several times every day in the bath, she now is at a point that she laughs... i think having a mirror in front of her also helped, so she could see her face.
When we go to the pool we use the same 1,2,3 GO and then go under the water. We also sing ring a ring a rosie and when we sing all fall down i count again and we go under the water.

i agree with Mako - it needs to be a positive experience, if MJ is upset by one thing we do something else... i also get her to enter the water herself now (she is crawling) so that it is her decision to come in, so she doesnt feel like she is being forced and we play in the shallows splashing for a while before moving into deep water.

HTH and enjoy :)

My godson had major issues with getting his head wet at 16 months so in the bath we just gave him a cup and encouraged him to pour water over our heads and then over his head. Did this over a period of a week and he soon over came it. We would also put the shower on gently and let him stick his arms in etc and in his own time he started to venture in and wet his head.

Hey shell,

Jesse has been in the up to 2years group until the end of this term then he'll be going up a class.
What we did at our lessons today was..

They sing a welcome song to get them splashing. Then do the hokey pokey.
Then they each get a ball to throw and swim to. Depending on the child, they get you to make them swim under the water and come up to the ball.
The did humpty dumpty sat on the wall aswell and spashed in.
Then they get a big floating mat that the instuctor makes into a tunnel and first go around lay them with their head on your shoulder, going through backwards and looking up at a mirror. Next time round was going through the tunnel and under the water.
Then they all sit on the mat in the middle of the pool, sing row row your boat and splash in.
Then she puts the mat on the side of the pool, gets the child and swims them under water and up onto the mat where they crawl along to you and splash in.
Then just sing a goodbye song.
Our instructor is great and takes it easy on those kids who dont like going under and all that. I think this class is really just to get them use to and confident with the water.
Jesse isnt too great with going under the water atm.. well one week is fine the next week goes silly.. but i think its just something they get use to over time the more you take them.

Was talking to her today about the next class up which is 2 - 3 1/2 yrs i think and they do more with using bubbles and learning to kick and swim on their own.