How to get kid swimming quick?

[Anonymous]

I have a 5.5 year old DS who still isn't swimming. I'd like for him to be on swim team (it's a junior swim team that starts at 5, but older siblings will be on the real swim team at the same time) all summer long. He's athletic, smart and not afraid of the water. We taught his older siblings and they caught on quick. DS just isn't getting it. He too wants to be on swim team.

We had him in swim lessons at a big company, but after 2 months he hadn't progressed even a tiny bit. They told me it might take 6 months to move up a level (and a level was like going from nothing to sticking your head in the water). It just felt like they wanted our money and they weren't going to push DS out of his comfort zone.

What can we do to help him? Is there something like infant swim rescue but for big kids? Or a strict coach who doesn't just let him splash around for $75 a lesson.

[Anonymous]

One on one lessons twice a week. Your child is 5 - he doesn't need a "strict coach". Playing in the water is a great way to build a healthy relationship with it. Structure his swim lessons so either before or after he has free play time so he knows that.

[Anonymous]

When DS was 4 we went to a resort with a big pool. He was in at all day, every day. On day 1 I had to hold him and by about Day 4 he was diving to the bottom to grab toys. He had 2 years of lessons before this. While it might be extreme, I truly think that was the only way he was going to learn, we didn't do that on purpose, but realized about halfway through the trip the added benefit. If you can't go on a trip, could you do a couple of staycations with a great pool? Probably a better way to spend your money than a coach at this age.

[Anonymous]

It has to be every day or as many times per week as possible over a short period of time.

[Anonymous]

What’s the requirement for Jr swim team?

Do they need to be able to do freestyle across the pool? More? Less?

[Anonymous]

Take him to goldfish

It was great for my 6 yr old when nothing else worked.

Levels up on his pace, not stuck for an 8 week session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When DS was 4 we went to a resort with a big pool. He was in at all day, every day. On day 1 I had to hold him and by about Day 4 he was diving to the bottom to grab toys. He had 2 years of lessons before this. While it might be extreme, I truly think that was the only way he was going to learn, we didn't do that on purpose, but realized about halfway through the trip the added benefit. If you can't go on a trip, could you do a couple of staycations with a great pool? Probably a better way to spend your money than a coach at this age.

+1000

This is the way all 3 of mine learned, and the only thing that really worked. Oldest DC had 2-3 years of pretty much worthless swim lessons- ended up learning on vacation where we spent all day in the pool at age 6. By kid #3, I didn’t even put him in lessons until he was able to “swim” (jump in, confidently surface and paddle a short distance back to the wall happily). He swam the earliest, flew through his swimming lessons and is the best swimmer of the 3 today.

Staycations or get a membership at an indoor pool and spend a lot of time there.

IMHO early swim lessons are pretty pointless

[Anonymous]

I’m pretty sure jr swim team is basically swim lessons.

My first grader can swim across the pool and it took 2 years of private lessons. She will probably do jr swim team at our country club and description sounds like swim lessons and practice to get to be part of the more competitive swim team.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I think he just has to swim across the pool to get in. Doggy paddling is what I'm really looking for at this point. Yes the jr swim team is definitely mostly lessons.

We really are only able to go to the pool once a week in winter, but when the pools open in May we go daily. I just don't want him to miss out and have to sit with me all summer while the others swim.

[Anonymous]

Practice?

[Anonymous]

We installed an inground pool. It did more in one week than two years of swim lessons. Honestly, go on a two week vacation with a pool.

[Anonymous]

Just buy a different house that has a pool so he can practice at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has to be every day or as many times per week as possible over a short period of time.

This. He needs as many contact hours with the water as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty sure jr swim team is basically swim lessons.

My first grader can swim across the pool and it took 2 years of private lessons. She will probably do jr swim team at our country club and description sounds like swim lessons and practice to get to be part of the more competitive swim team.

Recommend reposting this thread on "Swimming and Diving" under Sports. But in the meantime, no, don't mistake pre-team for swim lessons: that's not what it is and not what it's for. Kids will absolutely improve on pre-team through sheer familiarity, but there will usually be way too many kids for them to receive lesson-level attention on their individual skills.

[Anonymous]

1:1 lessons. I like WeAquatics. And copious practice. Try to up your pool routine to twice a week, and ask the teacher if your son can stay a little while in the pool after the lesson to show you what he learned.