Find professional baby swimming lessons near you

Baby swimming lessons include all the tasks and activities necessary to teach your baby or toddler how to swim. This service can consist of introducing your baby to the water, teaching them how to float, then teaching them how to use their arms and legs to help them move about. 

Baby swim classes: introduction

Your hired instructor can help your baby or toddler get accustomed to being in the water. Some instructors may request their dad or mum to get in the pool with them to feel comfortable and safe. Your instructor may ask you to hold your baby with both hands held out and allow them to splash about. Your instructor can use this or other techniques to make your baby feel at ease and enjoy the experience.  

Teaching your baby to float

After your baby is comfortable with being in the pool, your instructor can teach them how to float. This step can be done with a pool float while they are held by the instructor or one of their parents. Your baby is moved around the pool on the float to build their confidence. Once your baby feels secure enough to float without assistance, the pool float is taken away. 

Teaching your baby to paddle

While mum or dad holds the baby, your instructor can teach them to kick their feet by moving them in a gentle, circular kicking or paddling motion. Mum or dad can hold them and move them around the pool. It’s at this point that your baby’s instincts may kick in, and they can start to kick with their feet and move about in the water. Your instructor can use this or other techniques to teach your baby to paddle.

Teaching your baby to use their arms

The next lesson for your baby is teaching them to use their arms when swimming. This is done by showing your baby their favourite toy, then encouraging them to reach for it. Your baby may begin kicking and paddling their way to get to the toy, and this is when the person holding the child moves towards the toy. Your instructor may use this or other techniques to teach them how to swim with their arms. 

Having your baby swim short distances

Your instructor can see if they’ve absorbed all the lessons of the previous sessions. They can test if your baby or toddler can swim a short distance from them to their mum or dad, without any help. This is your baby’s ultimate swim test; if they can do this a few times, then they have completed the lesson.  

If not, the instructor can repeat lessons until they can swim with confidence and without assistance. If you had all those lessons in your pool, remember that you can hire someone to make sure your pool is clean and safe to use.