Baby Swim
Our Baby Aquatic program provides a bonding opportunity for parent and child in a warm, quiet, secure aquatic environment. The optimal age to start babies in the water is 8-16 weeks old. Research indicates that babies under one year of age participating in physically stimulating activities can increase their intellectual capabilities. Swimming is the most ideal physical activity for an infant or baby due to the nature of buoyancy. Buoyancy allows the most independent freedom an infant can have before they are self-motoring.
The Swim School believes that a life-long love of water and enjoyment of swimming are best developed by a confident and loving handling of babies in water, by swimming with babies, and by imparting gentle progressive methods towards unaided swimming, without ever resorting to forceful conditioning. When babies discover the freedom of buoyancy and underwater swimming, they soon become independent in water.
Our methods are designed to create an exceptional foundation for future swimming, promoting safe practices and confidence. We create a positive learn to swim environment with praise, fun games and activities that foster the learn-to-swim process. One on one time to playing their parents nurtures the bond between parent and child as they learn together in the baby swim lesson.
Learning to swim should be a happy and positive experience for both parent and child. We are against learn-to-swim methods that use force to teach babies to swim. Throughout the internet you will see lots of different baby swimming methods. We urge you to follow your parental instincts. Avoid any program that forces children while they are crying or showing other signs of distress.
Water Babies
Early Infant Swim
0-6 months Infants are introduced to the water with a focus on parent-baby bonding, and getting the infants familiar with how their bodies relate to the natural buoyancy of the water. We also work with the reflexes that all babies are born with that help them developmentally both in and out of the water. Though we do not focus on submersions, the skill is introduced. The Water Babies class boosts development of the whole child and early year round lessons accelerate development; physically, intellectually, and emotionally.
6-12 months
Babies are like little sponges, soaking up information from their new environment. This is a fun and relaxed aquatic experience for parent and infant, introducing kicking, bubble blowing, and safety skills. The use of verbal cues pre-conditions baby for submersion, by using a stimulus response method which teaches baby breathe control on verbal triggers. Parental involvement in the lesson is particularly important because children learn a respect for the water and understand that they are not allowed to swim unless being accompanied by their parent. This makes children less likely to wander into dangerous situations.
12-18 months
No prior swimming experience is necessary. Water safety is a very important aspect this class. Parents and their children work together with teacher and learn to climb out of the pool independently, how to properly do safety jumps and swim back to the wall, back floats, and wall-walking.
18-35 months
No prior swimming experience is necessary. . Water safety is a very important aspect this class. Parents and their children work together with teacher and learn to climb out of the pool independently, how perform jumps and swim back to the wall, back floats, and wall-walking.
18-35 months Advanced
Entering this class babies should be comfortable in class (no crying), be able to do a 10 count submersion, and use either their arms or legs to move. Parents and their children work together Babies are also challenged to learn basic swimming skills and techniques, such as flutter kicks with reaches, kicks on their backs, and rollover breathing,
Aquababy 1 and 2
This class is for babies 24 -35 months old that have completed the skills in the 18-35 months Advanced level. This is the first class in which the parents are not in the water. Babies are challenged with further swim distances, using rollover breathing, independent back floating and back glide.