The new term for out Aquatots swimming lessons started this weekend. We started 3 years ago with Freyja and then Emily began her Aquatots course nine months ago. On parenting forums, there are frequent discussions on whether baby swimming lessons are worth the money. It is cheaper to go swimming at the leisure centre, where both of us can be in the water with the girls, but I haven’t regretted the money spent on the Aquatots courses for one minute.
Aquatots courses are progressive. Everyone starts off at Duckling level and then move on through the courses at their own pace, once certain skills have been mastered. Freyja is now on “Seal” level and Emily is in the “Dolphin” class. We have had a few blips with Freyja over the years, where she refused to do certain things. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy swimming – she has always loved being in the water – it’s just that when she realised that she could “have a say” in what she wanted to do or not do, she made it very clear to us when she didn’t want to do something. I used to watch the end of the class, a few levels above ours and wonder how we would ever get to that point with Freyja. We had a fantastic teacher, Lisa, who was very supportive. She adapted certain exercises to accommodate Freyja and help us make progress. Freyja loved Lisa, so I was sad when times of classes changed and it was necessary to change teachers in order to fit both the girls lessons in next to each other.
When the girls’ new teacher went on maternity leave, Fiona took over the class. Fiona runs Aquatots. She is very experienced and it really shows. I have been amazed at how well Freyja has done with her. Freyja has always been clingy to me, which is why I do lessons with her, and being taken off me in the water or having to swim to other people has always been met with resistance. I remember the first time Fiona took Freyja off me. Freyja just went with it. No crying or grabbing on to me. She just did what was wanted of her. Fiona has a real presence – I don’t think Freyja dared not comply with her. What I do love about Fiona is that she knows what her pupils are capable of, and will make sure that us parents aren’t picking them up out of the water too quickly or sneaking closer to the side so they aren’t swimming solo for too long.
Fiona got us to try goggles on Freyja and since then she loves sticking her head into the water. She happily dives in from the side, or throws herself in from a float (something that she has NEVER wanted to do) and in our first lesson back this term she was requesting “baby swaps” so she could swim to one of the other parents.
So to those who say that baby swimming lesson are expensive, then yes, Aquatots isn’t cheap. But in my opinion it is good value for what you are paying for. The classes are no more than 8 children (there are 3 of us in Freyja’s class), with trained swimming instructors who are also qualified lifeguards. The courses have been developed to build on skills, and the teachers know how to increase confidence in both the children and parents. There are free catch-up lessons if your child is ill so can’t do the lesson too! And what I have been most impressed with is that they have tried to be really accommodating with when lessons are, so the girls have theirs back-to-back, meaning only one trip out for us to the pool. People who actually care and think when putting together the class timetables.
If you are still unsure about whether to give baby swimming classes a go or not, then Aquatots do free taster sessions – so you can at least try before you buy a term of lessons.