Swimming lessons teach your child how to manage well in the water. This way you can enjoy a visit to the swimming pool or the beach without any worries. From when can your child take swimming lessons, how much does it cost and what exactly does he learn?
What is swimming lessons?
During swimming lessons, your child learns to swim under the supervision of a lifeguard or lifeguard. First he learns to feel water-free. This means that he feels safe in the water and is not afraid. The teacher helps your child with this by playing games in the water, letting him jump off the side and helping him to go under. Once this goes well, your child is ready to learn different swimming techniques.
Lesson duration and group
A swimming lesson takes an average of 45 to 60 minutes. Usually your child will be taught together with other children. The size of the group differs per swimming pool. Sometimes a group consists of a maximum of eight children. At other pools, fifteen children receive swimming lessons at the same time. Does your child need a little more attention, for example because he has a fear of swimming? Then (temporary) private lessons are often possible. He then receives swimming lessons alone or together with one or two other children. Some swimming pools also have special groups for children with a fear of swimming. The most crucial lifesaving skill is knowing CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not to be taken lightly by lifeguard recertification near me.
From when on swimming lessons?
It is best for your child to start swimming lessons when he is between 4.5 and 6 years old. This is the advice of the National Swimming Safety Board. This foundation aims to teach everyone in the United States how to swim well.
The foundation advises not to start swimming lessons before your child is 4.5 years old. Your toddler is probably not yet sufficiently developed in motor terms to meet the requirements of the A diploma. Moreover, your child starts primary school when he is 4 years old , which is a big change for him. So rather wait with swimming lessons until your little one is used to school.
Some parents like to start swimming lessons earlier. They want their child to be able to manage well in the water as quickly as possible, for example because they live close to water. Many swimming pools offer courses to familiarize your baby or toddler with water at an early age. During a baby swimming or toddler swimming course , your child will become acquainted with water and learn how to float, turn or climb on the side. This makes it more water-free. This will give him a head start when he starts swimming lessons.
The Swimming ABC
In the United States, most children learn to swim according to the Swim-ABC. At the end of this programmed, your child will have obtained diplomas A, B and C. Obtaining the swimming diplomas is not mandatory. Your child also does not have to pass the full Swim ABC, but the National Swimming Safety Board does recommend this. Only after obtaining the Swimming Diploma C will your child swim well enough to be able to manage in open water.
With the Swimming ABC, your child learns the basics of swimming at a leisurely pace. How long it takes a child to pass the Swimming ABC varies greatly. Obtaining diploma A takes an average of 48 teaching hours and obtaining diplomas B and C takes an average of 12 hours per diploma.
Swimming lessons after passing the Swimming ABC
Has your child passed the entire Swimming ABC, but would he like to continue with swimming lessons? Then there are more diplomas he can get. For example, your child can take lessons in snorkeling, swimming skills, synchronized swimming and rescue swimming. Inquire at your swimming pool about the possibilities.
School swimming
Some children receive swimming lessons through their primary school. About 30% of municipalities offer free school swimming. The way in which this is done differs per municipality and per school. Some children can get their diplomas through school swimming. Other children only get a kind of gym class in the swimming pool. Ask your child’s school or the municipality how this is arranged for you.
It is also essential to keep people away from swimmers who may have been ill recently or have been known to carry contagious diseases that affect other swimmers’ health. This is particularly true for chlorine-resistant bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In order to prevent outbreaks at your pool you should provide a clean changing area and ensure a certified swimming pool operator appropriately supervises the swimming pool.
Lifeguards are an integral part of the prevention process because they have the ability to spot potential dangers before serious injuries occur. Whether it’s someone jumping off the diving board without checking to make sure there isn’t another person (an extremely common scenario), or kids sneaking into the pool area through a gate that shouldn’t be open, trained eyes can pick up on all sorts of things that could cause harm.
Also Read About: 5 reasons to choose lifeguard as a career
