How long did it take your LO to swim independently?

LaDY · Nov 17th, 2012, 16:42 PM

At what age did they start taking swimming and at what age could they swim without arm-bands?

Lucasmum · Nov 18th, 2012, 00:03 AM

Started going swimming about 6 months, he is a winter baby and I was paranoid about him getting cold so waited for the warmer months

Was swimming without armbands at about 4.5

bariea · Nov 18th, 2012, 02:23 AM

My son was 2 years old. He likes swimming very much.

isil · Nov 18th, 2012, 05:27 AM

2.5 - 3 short distances. He swims widths now and is working on improving his stroke technique (this is quite tricky because he doesn't completely understand the directions the teacher gives!). He just really enjoys it and I'm happy enough with that.

kerrie24 · Nov 20th, 2012, 09:11 AM

Nathan was 8,Aimee(6) cant swim yet.If I had been in a rush to get them to swim I would have got them lessons but it doesnt really bother me tbh,so they learn in their own good time.

RachA · Nov 20th, 2012, 09:57 AM

Daniel has been having lessons on and off since he was 2years old. He can swim a little on his own but he really struggles with confidence. At the moment i'm keeping up the lessons as i really want him to swim well - we live right near the beach and spend a lot of time there in the summer so i thinks its really important.

AmethystDream · Nov 20th, 2012, 18:13 PM

In a former life (before career and mummyhood), I used to be a swimming teacher and lifeguard. One of the worst things you can do if you are trying to get a child to swim is to introduce armbands. I hate the things.

Nothing can beat being in the water with your child on a regular basis and they will easily pick it up on their own timetable. As with anything, all kids are different but the main things to get them comfortable with are splashes/water on the face and being able to let go of you and know that you are there to grab them if necessary but far enough away to let them try safely.

Make it fun and do it often, they will be swimming in no time

EDIT: Just looked at the age of your LO - congrats BTW - Mum and Tots sessions are great and used to be my favourite lessons to teach. If they are used to the water from a very early age it comes much more naturally.

hellohefalump · Nov 21st, 2012, 10:12 AM

I've been taking Madeleine since she was six months old. She could swim very short distances without floats at age two, at age three she could swim a width, and now age 5 she can swim a length on her front and back.

She has a natural talent for it though. A six months old most babies come up crying if they're put under water but she always came up grinning. She's such a water baby, we went to Majorca last summer and she spent so much time in the pool, mostly under the water pretending to be a mermaid or a dolphin!

My son has always hated it though, even as a baby so I stopped taking him. He's scared to go in the water at all. I don't push it, he'll no doubt find something else to be good at that he enjoys. In Majorca he spent the whole time just walking round and round the pool splashing in the puddles, he refused to go in at all!

LaDY · Nov 21st, 2012, 11:50 AM

Wow your little ones are doing great...im hoping my son will come on leaps and bounds soon too xx

Tanikit · Nov 21st, 2012, 14:16 PM

My DD started swimming independently shortly after turning 5 years old and within about 3 weeks of learning that independence was happy to go down a super tube/water slide all by herself with no flotation devices. Her confidence is growing rapidly. We have a pool at home, but she has not had formal swimming lessons.

Nov 17th, 2012, 16:42 PM	1
LaDY Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 5,987	How long did it take your LO to swim independently? At what age did they start taking swimming and at what age could they swim without arm-bands?

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Nov 18th, 2012, 00:03 AM	2
Lucasmum Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 797	Started going swimming about 6 months, he is a winter baby and I was paranoid about him getting cold so waited for the warmer months Was swimming without armbands at about 4.5

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Nov 18th, 2012, 02:23 AM	3
bariea Mum (Mom) New BnB member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 4	My son was 2 years old. He likes swimming very much.

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Nov 18th, 2012, 05:27 AM	4
isil Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 10,447	2.5 - 3 short distances. He swims widths now and is working on improving his stroke technique (this is quite tricky because he doesn't completely understand the directions the teacher gives!). He just really enjoys it and I'm happy enough with that.

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Nov 20th, 2012, 09:11 AM	5
kerrie24 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: uk Posts: 6,940	Nathan was 8,Aimee(6) cant swim yet.If I had been in a rush to get them to swim I would have got them lessons but it doesnt really bother me tbh,so they learn in their own good time.

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Nov 20th, 2012, 09:57 AM	6
RachA Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5,282	Daniel has been having lessons on and off since he was 2years old. He can swim a little on his own but he really struggles with confidence. At the moment i'm keeping up the lessons as i really want him to swim well - we live right near the beach and spend a lot of time there in the summer so i thinks its really important.

Status: Offline

Nov 20th, 2012, 18:13 PM	7
AmethystDream Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Merseyside, UK Posts: 1,293	In a former life (before career and mummyhood), I used to be a swimming teacher and lifeguard. One of the worst things you can do if you are trying to get a child to swim is to introduce armbands. I hate the things. Nothing can beat being in the water with your child on a regular basis and they will easily pick it up on their own timetable. As with anything, all kids are different but the main things to get them comfortable with are splashes/water on the face and being able to let go of you and know that you are there to grab them if necessary but far enough away to let them try safely. Make it fun and do it often, they will be swimming in no time EDIT: Just looked at the age of your LO - congrats BTW - Mum and Tots sessions are great and used to be my favourite lessons to teach. If they are used to the water from a very early age it comes much more naturally.

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Nov 21st, 2012, 10:12 AM	8
hellohefalump Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2,670	I've been taking Madeleine since she was six months old. She could swim very short distances without floats at age two, at age three she could swim a width, and now age 5 she can swim a length on her front and back. She has a natural talent for it though. A six months old most babies come up crying if they're put under water but she always came up grinning. She's such a water baby, we went to Majorca last summer and she spent so much time in the pool, mostly under the water pretending to be a mermaid or a dolphin! My son has always hated it though, even as a baby so I stopped taking him. He's scared to go in the water at all. I don't push it, he'll no doubt find something else to be good at that he enjoys. In Majorca he spent the whole time just walking round and round the pool splashing in the puddles, he refused to go in at all!

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Nov 21st, 2012, 11:50 AM	9
LaDY Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 5,987	Wow your little ones are doing great...im hoping my son will come on leaps and bounds soon too xx

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Nov 21st, 2012, 14:16 PM	10
Tanikit Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3,230	My DD started swimming independently shortly after turning 5 years old and within about 3 weeks of learning that independence was happy to go down a super tube/water slide all by herself with no flotation devices. Her confidence is growing rapidly. We have a pool at home, but she has not had formal swimming lessons.

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