Single Mum Lifestyle Articles

What is the best age for a child to start swimming lessons?

Tanya Boys | Accredited swimming coach | 14 April 2016

One of the most common questions I am asked by parents is “When should my child start swimming lessons?”

This is a great question as learning to swim is such an important skill for all children in Australia given our aquatic environment, and swimming lessons for children are integral part of any child becoming a competent swimmer.

Your child is classified as a ‘competent swimmer’ when they can comfortably swim 400m.

While not applicable for all children, my preferred starting point (and the one I used for my own 3 children) is to begin lessons from around 6 months of age. It is important to note as well that prior to this time I recommend that from the early weeks of life parents develop and foster a love and enjoyment of water and the aquatic environment through the regular bathing process and making bath time a fun and happy experience for the child.

Make bath time a fun and happy experience

Simple steps, including pre-conditioning – pouring water over a child’s face at bath time and using verbal triggers – teach children early breath control and prepare them for submersions when they do commence formal lessons.

It may seem like a little thing, but in my experience it can make a big difference when kids finally enter the pool for the first time.

Whilst many parents choose not to begin their child’s swimming lessons until a later age, children who commence swimming when they are under 10 months of age are rarely unhappy in the water and they do not develop the fear or anxiety about swimming that some older children struggle with.

In addition, a four-year project, Early-Years Swimming: Adding Capital to Young Australians, led by Griffith University has concluded that children who swim show more advanced physical and cognitive skills than those who don’t. They show better visual-motor abilities, such as drawing lines and colouring in shapes. They also excel in following instructions, language, counting and solving mathematical problems. Indirectly, it could help them become better performers once they’re at school.

There are a lot of good reasons why it is a great idea to start this early. However, starting this young is not for everybody or may not be practical, so I will also detail some of the pro’s and con’s of starting later as well.

Swimming Lessons Best Age Guide

Commencing lessons at 3-10 months

Pros:

Children have come from an aquatic environment in their mother’s womb and they are happy and relaxed in the water
Children learn aquatic independence and the foundation skills for later independent swimming
Early water safety and awareness skills are developed
Swimming lessons are a great bonding activity for parents and babies
Better physical and cognitive skill development than their non-swimming counterpart
Unlikely to develop a fear of water if they continue regular swimming
Usually first formal activity or class for baby (and parent), excellent for socialising and play

Cons

If children have any serious illnesses parents may not want to take them into a public aquatic facility
Progress in lessons will not be as fast as for older children

Commencing lessons from 10-24 months

Between 10-24 months toddlers can build their water awareness skill - photo credit: Bigstock.com

Between 10-24 months toddlers can build their water awareness skills

Pros:

If kids have spent time in the water with their parents/ family they will usually transition into the water without any fear
Between 10-24 months toddlers like to develop independence (in activities and making decisions) and we can build their water awareness/ aquatic education and mobility skills.
Children develop good mobility, in and out of the water at this age and this mobility can be translated from the land to the water
Water safety and awareness is critically important for this curious age
Swimming lessons are a fun activity and great form of exercise
Development of foundation skills to learn to swim independently
Other pros as listed above

Cons

As children develop independence and imagination some children will develop a fear of swimming or going under water
Some children in 10-24 age group will not want to follow instructions in a formal lesson setting (although most good swim schools will have a fun, play based programme to counteract this).

Commencing lessons from 24-36 months

At 24-36 months, children are stronger they can develop a greater level of aquatic independence

Pros

At 24-36 months, children are stronger they can develop a greater level of aquatic independence and a strong swimmer will learn to swim unaided at this age (of course only under adult supervision – no more than arms’ reach away)
Many children learn to follow instructions from their teacher in this period

Cons

If children have an irrational fear of the water lessons can be unproductive or counterproductive
Some children will not want to co-operate or follow instructions which can be critical to safety in classes

Commencing lessons from 36-48 months

Between 36-48 months many children will learn to swim unaided

Pros

Between 36-48 months, children are stronger and can develop a greater level of aquatic independence. Many children will learn to swim unaided at this age (of course only under adult supervision – no more than arms’ reach away)
Many children learn to follow instructions from their teacher in this period

Cons

If children haven’t spent time in the water at an earlier age it can take some time to learn to be comfortable in the water. This comfort is essential to developing swimming skills.

Commencing lessons from 4 years +

Swimming underwater - photo credit: Bigstock.com

Older children are able to acquire skills more quickly as they are more coordinated

Pros

Children are able to acquire skills more quickly as they are more coordinated and physically capable

Cons

Waiting until 4 year of age will potentially give rise to the possibility of exposing your child to aquatic danger which they are not equipped to deal with, in the absence of prior swimming lessons (ie if they haven’t had swimming lessons, they may find themselves exposed to aquatic dangers before 4 years of age).
Children are less comfortable in the water and their movements are less natural than children who have spent time in the pool at a younger age
Children who don’t learn to swim until 4 years + are likely to be behind their peers in swimming skills in Australia. This can also limit their opportunities for aquatic play/ fun with their friends.

For children under the age of 5, it makes a huge difference if they swim regularly – children who swim with their parents between lessons make substantially faster progress than those who swim only during their lesson each week. And for under 5s it doesn’t need to be formal practise – simply playing in the water will increase their confidence and comfort levels in the water.

Swimming lessons are hugely important for all Australian kids, and whilst swimming is a great recreational activity and sport, water safety and drowning prevention are clearly a hugely important motivating factor for parents in enrolling their children in swimming lessons. A 2009 in by the USA’s National Institute of Health concluded that “participating in formal swimming lessons was associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning in children aged 1-4 years.”

Swimming lessons alone certainly don’t eliminate the risk of drowning, but a better understanding by children and parents of the aquatic environment and their own capabilities is a first and most important step in the process of aquatic education.

Toddler fun at the swimming pool - photo credit: Bigstock.com

Tanya Boys is a Bronze Level swimming coach and presents regularly at National Austswim conferences. She has a degree in Human Movement Studies from UTS, and Austswim and Swim Australia Teacher qualifications for Babies, Toddlers and school aged children.
Tanya is the Director and Owner of Tanya’s Travelling Tadpole Tuition, Australia’s largest mobile swim school, teaching swimming to over 800 children in their home pools in Sydney each summer.
Tanya is a mother to three beautiful children – two girls aged 10 and 8 and a 6 year old boy.