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Lessons
Why Infant Aquatics®?
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4. Children are naturally drawn to pools, hot tubs, lakes, ponds, streams, reservoirs, and beaches. Despite a parent's best efforts at supervision, it only takes one head turn before an accident has occurred.
What can children learn?
Infants six to twelve months can learn to:
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hold their breath in the water
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roll from a face-down position to a face-up back float
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float, relax, and breathe until rescued by an adult
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perform these skills fully clothed
Particularly active infants may also learn to propel a short distance through the water between two parents. Learning these skills takes approximately 12 to 20 lessons.
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Children who are walking (1-6 years) can learn to:
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hold their breath in the water
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swim with their face in the water to the steps, side, or parent
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roll over onto their back when they need to breathe
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flip back onto their tummy to continue swimming until reaching their destination, or roll to their back should they need to breathe again
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perform these skills fully clothed
The timeframe for mastering these skills is typically 16 to 24 lessons.
Our Teaching Method
How Are Lessons Structured?
Initial swimming lessons with Infant Aquatics are one-on-one, approximately 10 minutes in length, usually 4 or 5 days per week for 4-6 weeks. Each swim lesson builds upon the previous day's lesson, so there is measurable progress each week.
What is the Parent's Role?
We encourage parents of toddlers to get in the water for the first few lessons so that your child will experience less stranger and separation anxiety. Our goal for children of all ages is to establish a relationship of trust between your child and the instructor. Once this occurs, your child will learn to trust him/herself in the water and real progress begins.
How Can You Teach a Baby Who Cannot Talk?
Swimming and floating are motor skills that can be taught to a baby through repetitive exercises, along with gentle verbal encouragement. We show the babies what we want them to do, and over a short period of time, they learn the skills necessary to survive. Be assured, that we do not throw children into the water! We use a variety of methods, combining the best ideas from swim schools and infant/toddler programs throughout the world. Our goal is to make learning fun so that your child will love his water experience.
What if my child cries during lessons?
It is important to note that there are different reasons for crying and different degrees of crying. A certain amount of crying or complaining is to be expected from most beginners and is not cause for concern. At first, your child may show some reluctance. A positive attitude from Mom or Dad will go a long way in reassuring a reluctant child. You will see that as skills are developed, your child will settle into the lesson routine and may very well begin to enjoy his/her newfound skills. Our instructors use a variety of methods so that each child gains trust in the instructor and in the lesson process.
Important: We believe no child should be subjected to a fearful or intimidating learning environment. However, it is unrealistic to say that children never cry during swimming lessons. In some instances, babies may become tired or hungry during the lesson and sometimes they may cry as a means of complaining about having to work in the water. Frequently they cry because they are learning new skills, which they have yet to master. These cries are very different from a fearful cry and our instructors are in tune with those differences. It is important for parents to offer enthusiastic support, not sympathy, for their child’s efforts and hard work.
What should I buy prior to lessons and/or bring each day?
For your child’s safety and in consideration of all, CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 4 YEARS must wear our snugly fitting reusable, cloth swim diapers during lessons. (Disposable swim diapers are ineffective in preventing pool contamination.) Remove diapers (please take them with you) and then dress your child in his swim diaper. (Swimsuits are optional) If your child has long hair, try to braid it, tie it back, and use barrettes to keep the hair out of her eyes. Swim caps are the most effective method of keeping hair out of the eyes and are also available for purchase. Be sure to bring two large, dry towels and a waterproof mat or cushion. After the lesson, your child should be dried and dressed in warm clothes. Use a warm blow dryer, if necessary, to dry her hair. Please arrange your schedule so that you do not have to rush a cold, wet baby or child outside. Link-Splash About Happy Nappy Swim Diaper.
What are the rules for eating/drinking/resting before and after lessons?
DO NOT FEED YOUR CHILD FOR 2 HOURS BEFORE HIS/HER LESSON. DO NOT ALLOW FRUIT, VEGETABLES, MEAT, OR MILK PRODUCTS FOR 6 HOURS BEFORE THE LESSONS. (THIS INCLUDES FORMULA, MILK, EGGS, CHEESE, AND YOGURT. Breast milk, rice dream, toast, and cereal (without fruit or nuts) may be given 2 hours before a lesson. Some children swallow a lot of air and some water during the lessons. When the stomach is distended the muscles tighten up across the abdomen, and a child will burp. If there is food in the stomach when this happens, the food will come out with the air and the child will spit up in the pool. The pool filtration system will clear the pool quickly, so if this happens to your child, do not be frightened or distressed. This happens to some children regardless and is not anything to worry about, but controlling feedings just before the lessons will help. You can usually expect an increase in appetite and longer naps as a result of this exercise. Please allow for good naps and try to avoid going shopping right after a lesson.
What if my child has a medical condition?
If you believe your child has any medical condition that might reasonably affect his/her safe participation in lessons, please explain the condition on your enrollment form and have your child's physician provide a written clearance to swim before lessons begin.
What if we are late or miss a lesson?
Swimming lessons are approximately 10 minutes in length, four days per week, (Monday through Thursday) for children under 4 years of age, and 20 minutes in length, four days per week for children over the age of 4. Since your lessons are short, it is helpful if you arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled time. This allows sufficient time to have your child ready to go into the water (without rushing) at the scheduled time. If you are late, the instructor will try to fit you in whenever possible, but your lesson time might be shortened. Consistency is a very important ingredient of the program. Steady attendance will increase your child’s rate of progress. Because of heavy scheduling, we are unable to offer make-up lessons. If you find you have a conflict on a certain day, it may be possible to make advance arrangements with another parent to switch your lesson time. Sometimes it may be possible to add you to the end of the instructor’s schedule. Please talk with your instructor if this should occur.
What are refresher lessons and when are they necessary?
Babies need updates not because they will forget their skills, but because they outgrow them. Particularly during the first two years, rapid growth causes a shift in a baby’s center of gravity, affecting his ability to float. Updates, or refreshers, are similar to a well-baby pediatric check up; they allow your instructor to readjust the float position and keep your child’s swimming skills sharp.
Your child will retain most of what he learns after being out of the water for up to a year. However, he will likely lose his self-confidence if he is out of the water for even a short time. Experience indicates that children who are walking and complete the 6-week Infant Aquatics course of private lessons to master the swim float swim sequence seldom require refresher lessons, providing they participate in our group classes immediately following initial lessons and continue for at least a year. However, without the opportunity to swim with our instructors, you may find that your child will cry, cling and refuse to use his skills. DON’T PANIC! He has not forgotten all. After only a week or two of brush-up lessons, all will be well. Children have many fears, some which stem from a lack of confidence. During refresher lessons, they will soon regain the needed confidence and know they CAN do it! Have patience. Reminder: if your child is continually enrolled in group class, should the need arise for private lessons, there is no charge for them.
What is the cost?
The cost is $625 per child. This includes the non-refundable registration fee. Contact us for more information.
Why are lessons more expensive than others?
These lessons are actually not more expensive. First, please remember that these are all private lessons. Instead of your child being one of many, depending on the student/teacher ratio, our lessons are one-on-one with your child and the teacher being the only ones in the water. Second, with our undivided attention, your child will have a fighting chance to survive in the event of an aquatic emergency, along with the fundamental skills to safely enjoy the water in just 4-6 weeks. Most other programs don't teach survival floating at all and could take 3-6 years to teach basic swimming skills. No other program can come close to what we can teach your child in a matter of weeks. We encourage you to shop around, but compare the results achieved and the timeframe involved, in addition to the price.
Payment Options
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