Sunday, December 14, 2014

Guide To Choosing Baby Swim Lessons West Chester PA Parents Will Find Helpful

By Misty Tyler


A love for swimming is something that can be instilled in a child as early as infancy. These first experiences with water must be positive if the child is to continue to enjoy swimming and eventually master it. If interested in baby swim lessons West Chester PA parents need to be aware of these key points that will help them find the best classes.

At this young age, the pace of the classes must be fairly slow, and each child should be permitted to develop swimming skills at his or her own rate of learning. Lessons for children of this age should incorporate lively songs and games and colorful water toys to further enhance the experience. Instructors need to be very patient, encouraging, and enthusiastic to convey the right attitude to their pupils and make them feel at ease.

The group class is a good choice for children of this age, as they can learn from one another and enjoy the social interaction at the same time. This format is often referred to as "parent and tot" classes, and it serves as a good opportunity for moms and dads to socialize as well as their children. Learning swimming skills as a group generates an overall sense of support and unity but also allows for individual progress and development.

Sometimes parents may prefer private instruction where the parent and child work together with the teacher. While this can be an effective way to learn water skills, one must ensure that the child does not feel pressured and above all still has fun. The teaching method used must be leisurely paced and "baby-friendly" and the length of the lesson should be no longer than a half-hour.

Not only is it much safer for young children to learn with a parent alongside them, but it also makes the strange, new world of water seem less intimidating if mom or dad is close by, it also serves as great bonding experience between parent and child. The parent is also better able to gauge the aquatic abilities of their child so they can later work with him or her at home and practice these new skills.

It also improves the swimming experience for the young learner if the temperature of the water and the air is warm and comfortable. Babies do best in pool temperatures between 90 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit with surrounding air temperatures greater than 80 degrees in most cases. Swim-caps and infant-sized wetsuits can also help keep the child warm enough.

When children are first getting used to the water and learning breath control, they should ideally attend four classes every week for one month, after this point, they can go less often such as twice a week. This short but frequent mode of teaching usually produces the best results. If parents cannot easily schedule lessons this often, it can suffice to practice in between classes in the bathtub.

Before signing the child up for any swim classes, parents should talk to other moms and dads and find out which ones they would recommend, then sit in on these lessons to see for oneself if the children seem to be learning and happy there. Simply asking questions over the phone is not enough, observation is the best way to assess if the teacher and approach used measure up.




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