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Guide To Choosing Baby Swim Lessons West Chester PA Parents Will Find Helpful

By Misty Tyler


A love for swimming is something that can be instilled in a child as early as infancy. These first experiences with water must be positive if the child is to continue to enjoy swimming and eventually master it. If interested in baby swim lessons West Chester PA parents need to be aware of these key points that will help them find the best classes.

At this young age, the pace of the classes must be fairly slow, and each child should be permitted to develop swimming skills at his or her own rate of learning. Lessons for children of this age should incorporate lively songs and games and colorful water toys to further enhance the experience. Instructors need to be very patient, encouraging, and enthusiastic to convey the right attitude to their pupils and make them feel at ease.

Group learning can be particularly effective for this age group, children enjoy socializing together and seeing others also becoming familiar with swimming can help them learn. Usually termed "parent and tot" classes, each group consists of a small number of children accompanied by a parent, lead by an instructor. The adults also enjoy the social aspect of this format, and overall it promotes a sense of unity but simultaneously accommodates individual progress.

Sometimes parents may prefer private instruction where the parent and child work together with the teacher. While this can be an effective way to learn water skills, one must ensure that the child does not feel pressured and above all still has fun. The teaching method used must be leisurely paced and "baby-friendly" and the length of the lesson should be no longer than a half-hour.

The presence of mom or dad, or another adult caregiver goes a long way in reassuring children as they become accustomed to moving about in the water. It adds to their sense of security, and also acts as a valuable opportunity for bonding. This also familiarizes the parents with the child's swimming progress, so they can help him or her practice at home, or anywhere there is a pool.

Making sure that the lessons are offered in a venue that carefully monitors the temperature of the water and air is also important to the comfort of the children. The pool temperature should ideally be between 90 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit, and the surrounding air needs to be warmer than 80 degrees. Body warmth can also be maintained by dressing the child in a baby-sized wetsuit and swim-cap.

At the beginner level, it is recommended that these young swimmers attend classes four times per week for the first month of lessons. Afterwards, bi-weekly instruction is suggested. Short but frequent classes seem to be the most effective for this age group. Busy parents may not always be able to accommodate this schedule, in which case they can always practice with the child at home in the bathtub.

It's a good idea to ask other parents whom one knows if they can recommend some great swimming classes for young children, and then arrange to sit in on these lessons to observe how happy the participants are and if they seem to be learning. It's not enough to simply read a brochure or ask some question over the phone when it comes to one's child's safety and early experiences in the pool, it's necessary to check it out in person before signing up.




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