Should My Toddler Take Swimming Lessons?

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By Haley Overland

I signed my daughter up for swim class when she was two years old. I felt pressured because many of my friends had been taking their babies swimming when they were as young as six months old, and I really wanted her to learn this life-saving skill. “We better get on this,” I told my husband.

She was excited for her first class but froze as soon as she saw the big blue pool. Forget about sweet new bathing suits and mermaid dreams, my daughter was scared. The instructors insisted we continue on with the class despite ongoing screaming fits. And I took her out a few sessions later, thinking a break would be good. But that break lasted a few years, and she’s no less scared of the water today.

These days we’re making slow progress. The screaming has turned to whimpering and the odd “Mama! I want Mama.” Even now friends tell me to take her out of swim class, but I know that if I do, she’ll never learn to swim. Besides, what a great opportunity to teach her about conquering fears in general ― already she’s developing her own tools for dealing with it. “Think you’re at home, Mama,” she says when I ask her about swimming in the deep end.

As parenting expert Kathy Buckworth advises, babies and toddlers should absolutely be exposed to swimming lessons, the earlier the better.

“I'm a bit strict when it comes to this,” Buckworth admits. “I used to dunk my babies and toddlers right under, all the time, and they didn't always like it, but they're awesome swimmers today.” If your toddler’s screaming in the pool like my daughter was, don’t give in. “The only way they're going to get over the phobia is if they face it, and I really think it's important that all kids know how to swim. It's a basic safety and survival skill we need to give our kids.”

Buckworth has some handy tips for handling the water worries:

1. If the child is screaming with one parent, try sending the next parent to the class the next time. If it persists, look at having no parents in the pool, or watching and having a swim professional take them in the water.”  

2. Never give in to those tantrums. It’s hard to recover from letting their tantrums “win” the first time you let them get out of the lesson or the water situation.
 
3. Show your toddler that water can be fun. Encourage them to play in a shallow wading pool or beach where they don’t have to be submerged, but can just paddle ― which can also be a good way to introduce water safety.  

4. Don’t give up! Try different schools, instructors (my daughter ultimately gravitated to a female instructor more than a male instructor, for example), approaches, private classes, group classes, parent-and-tot classes.

I also contacted the Canadian Red Cross, who told me that as soon as your baby can hold their head up independently (approximately four months), she's ready to start lessons. Here’s a few things to keep in mind before you start:

•    If your toddler isn’t toilet trained, remember regular diapers can’t go in the pool.  Instead, you'll need to purchase swimming diapers or rubber pants.

•    Know your facility/location.  What depth does it start at?  How quickly does it get deep?  Is there a tot dock and/or teaching pool?

•    Know your abilities.  Do you know how to swim?  Should the worst happen, do you know what to do?  It’s always a good idea to have first aid and CPR training.

•    Eliminate anything that could distract you.  While your child is near the water, he/she needs your full attention to prevent tragedy.

•    Nothing replaces constant supervision.  Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because your toddler has a buoyant device such as water wings, a noodle, et cetera.

And here are their tips for dealing with a pool-shy toddler:

•    Try to figure out if your toddler is afraid for a particular reason or if he/she doesn’t want to try something new.  If your toddler is afraid for a reason, see if you can eliminate the fear.

•    If your toddler finds something intimidating, be sure to stay cheerful and provide lots of positive reinforcement.  Along with smiles and encouraging words, use non-verbal gestures such as thumbs up and giving a high-five.

•    Know when not to force an activity.  You know your child best, and you may have to work your way up to some activities.

•    Ensure bath time is fun too.  A swimming pool can be big and noisy.  Some children need to start with being relaxed in the bath before they can transition to the pool.   Ask your local pool about games you can safely play in the bath.

Does/did your toddler take swimming lessons? What was your experience?