site logosite logo
  • About MoovSwim
  • Lessons
    • Baby Swimming Lessons
    • Toddler Swimming Lessons
    • Children Swimming Lessons
    • Special Needs Swimming Lessons
  • Swim News
    • Blogs
    • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Get In Touch Now!
SIDEBAR

How Long Will It Take My Child To Learn To Swim?

0 comments
  • Baby, Toddler & Children Swimming
Aug 23 2016
Post's featued image.

How long will it take for my child to learn to swim? To be specific, every parent wants to know how long it’ll take for their children to acquire the necessary skills to save themselves from drowning. It is important to know that no one, not even Olympic swimmers, is drown-proof, so supervision by the water is still essential.

The truth is, there is no answer as each child is different. The time taken for each child to learn how to swim depends on many factors, which will be discussed later in this post.

Guidelines on duration a child takes to learn to swim

The below guidelines are based on children who attend weekly, 30-minute private lessons all year round.

Babies who begin to learn to swim between the ages of 6 months to 18 months old: one to two years to learn to be safe in water

Toddlers who start swimming lessons between the ages of 18 months to 3 years old: about one year

Children older than 3 years old with no previous swimming experience: 6 months to one year to learn to be safe in the water

With group lessons, the process of learning to swim is slower. Nonetheless, we usually encourage group lessons as it is more enjoyable and fun for children to learn and play together.

Factors affecting progress in learning to swim

1. Consistency of lessons

Once kids begin swimming lessons, consistency is key. It is important to not take unnecessary long breaks from swimming until the child can swim independently.

MoovSwim advocates a consistent swimming schedule to allow muscle memory to form in children and to keep the progress going. Practice makes perfect, and children enjoy routine in their lives. If your child falls sick, allow them to recover before resuming swim lessons. Taking breaks from lessons for holidays will set back the learning process. The child will have to reacclimatise with the water or relearn previously learned skills upon resuming swimming.

2. Frequency

Most parents opt for having their children swim once a week due to busy schedules or financial aspects. It is ok for weekly lessons, but adding in an additional swim session on your own allows for great progress. This also increases their confidence in the water and aids in faster learning.

3. Fear of water

Children who are introduced to water at an early age and in a positive manner are more likely to love water and not be afraid. This aids in faster learning. The love of water begins during bath time, by allowing water to flow gently down the face of your baby instead of wiping it off his or her face.

Children who are fearful of water takes longer to learn to swim. It is important to first help kids overcome their fear of water before they can truly enjoy the learning process, and this may take some time. MoovSwim believes in making lessons fun and cultivated the love of learning through gentle encouragement.

Parents can play an active role by bringing their children to the pool as often as possible. Be gentle and help your child feel safe rather than trying to teach them swimming skills, and working at the child’s pace is vital. Once the child is relaxed and happy in the water, learning skills such as submerging the face or the back float will come easier.

4. Motor skills and natural abilities

Physical abilities, coordination and motor skills determine how quickly a child will learn to swim. Learning to swim comes easier to children with good natural abilities, such as the case in Joseph Schooling. Children who have weaker motor skills may take longer to learn. Thus, parents should be patient with the child’s progress. MoovSwim works with the child’s pace, and during each lesson, customised attention is catered to each child. Swimming lessons help children improve their motor skills and coordination.

5. Private versus group swimming lessons

Children who enrol in private lessons will learn to swim faster, as all the attention of the coach goes to the child. If the child is willing to listen and is able to take instruction well, private lessons will aid in fast and efficient learning.

Group lessons are fun social activities. Children can play together and get motivated watching their peers. Such lessons are especially efficient if the abilities of all the children are about the same. When children of varying abilities come together for a common class, special attention is given to each child by the coach. Thus, it may appear to parents that their child do not get to swim a lot. 30 minutes is usually the recommended duration, as that is found to be the optimal amount of learning time. This also explains why schools often have 30-period academic lessons.

6. Age

Do 5 year olds learn to be safe in the water quicker than 2 year olds or than children who start swimming at 6 months old? It depends on all the factors described so far. In general, babies younger than 18 months old don’t have a fear of water, which makes it easier when they are learning to swim. With consistent and frequent lessons, they can learn breath control, the back float, how to roll from front to back and other water safety skills, just as fast as 5 year olds. Children who start learning at an younger age will become more comfortable and natural in the water at that younger age.

Older children may have better motor skills, but a fear of water may hinder their progress. Thus, it’s never too early to start them on swimming lessons!

baby swimmingbenefits of swimmingchildren swimmingswimming lessontoddler swimmingwater confidencewater safety
« Children Swimming Lesson – Swim Fun on Sunday! #2
Children Swimming Lesson – Splash Fun with K and E! »

Categories

  • Baby, Toddler & Children Swimming
  • Disability Swimming
  • Emotional Development
  • Health and Safety
  • Newsletters
  • Parenting
  • Swimming
  • Swimming Lessons

Recent News

  • Breathing During Swimming
  • Is there an ideal age for my child to learn to swim?
  • How to keep warm during swimming lessons?
  • When can my child be independent in swimming?
  • Do flotation aids inhibit the learning of swimming?

Tags

adult swimming asthma babies baby reflexes baby swimming benefits of swimming breath control breathe control breathing cancer children children swimming disability swimming discipline drowning feelings FUNshop hygiene infant swimming newsletters nordic baby swim conference parenting parents pool pool party positive talk special needs sun exposure swimming swimming lesson talking to baby teacher toddlers toddler swimming uv video water confidence water familiarisation water play water playground water safety

RSS RSS

  • Breathing During Swimming
  • Is there an ideal age for my child to learn to swim?
  • How to keep warm during swimming lessons?
  • When can my child be independent in swimming?
  • Do flotation aids inhibit the learning of swimming?
  • Why does my child need to join a swimming class?
  • A Look Back at MoovSwim’s 1st FUNshop
  • MoovSwim FREE FUNshop on 2018 May 01
  • Does Drown-Proofing Your Child Work?
  • Baby Swimming Lesson – Swim Fun Starts Young!
  • Five Things That May Damage Your Relationship with Your Child
  • Let Your Children Decide For Themselves
  • Children Swimming Lesson – Siblings Having Fun!
  • 7 Behaviours Children Will Learn From Parents
  • Swimming is Good for Asthma
  • Why are swimming lessons so important?
  • Dads, Do Not Outsource Your Parenting Duties
  • Consistent Swimming Practice Yields Results
  • Children Swimming Lesson – Splash Fun with K and E! #3
  • 2016 – Swimming in Retrospect

MOOV Copyrights Reserved. Powered by Amplifysme.