What’s the Ideal Age to Begin Taking Swimming Lessons?

It’s never too early to develop a love and appreciation for the ability to swim. It’s equally understandable for parents to be concerned about when to start lessons to achieve a healthy and safe balance for young swimmers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents consider introducing kids to swimming as early as the age of one. Below, the experienced professionals from San Diego Pools, the experts in pool installation San Diego residents trust for outstanding craftsmanship and exceptional service, go over some of the other guidelines and recommendations to consider as you determine when to start swimming lessons for your child.

Starting Early Reduces Drowning Risks

According to research cited by Healthychildren.org, starting swimming lessons between the ages of one and four reduces the risk of accidental drowning. While there are many safety features that can be added to your pool to increase safety for younger children, there’s always the potential for unexpected situations parents wish to avoid.

It’s Best to Go by Whether or Not Your Child Seems Ready

All children learn at different paces. For this reason, it’s a good idea to determine when to begin swimming lessons based on when your child seems naturally ready to get started. There really is no “right” or “wrong” age to begin lessons. In other words, if your child isn’t receptive to attempts to begin lessons early, it’s okay to wait a bit until he or she seems more amenable to lessons.

Most Kids Are Ready for Lessons by Age Four

By the time most children reach the age of four, they’re generally ready to start swimming lessons. At this age, lessons typically involve:

• Floating
• Treading water
• Doing basic strokes like the front crawl

Swimming lessons around the age of four or five can also involve fun pool games everyone in the family can play together between lessons. This is a good way to associate swimming lessons with being enjoyable. Besides, it’s never too soon for kids to develop a natural love for swimming that can last well into their adult years.

Infant Swim Classes May Be Okay

Infant swim classes can be beneficial. The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t officially recommend them, but they don’t discourage them, either. The main reason the AAP doesn’t recommend swim classes for infants is because there’s no significant evidence they’re effective. If you have a kid around this age, get him or her used to being in the pool on a regular basis.

Adults Should Remember to Practice Pool Safety

Just because your child takes swimming lessons doesn’t mean he or she is immune to the possible safety risks that go along with backyard pools. Create a safe outdoor environment for your little swimmer by:

• Installing an appropriate fence lock
• Using a pool alarm that provides alerts if the water is disturbed when you’re not there to supervise
• Installing cameras, especially if you have a more spacious backyard that makes it difficult to keep an eye on your children
• Making sure you have appropriate flotation devices and other safety accessories ready for your child to use when swimming

If you need more advice about swimming lessons and pool safety, call on the experienced professionals at San Diego Pools. We’re a premier San Diego swimming pool contractor, and our experienced pool design and construction experts are dedicated to building the pool that’s right for your family and providing you with the highest-quality service in the industry. Give us a call today at 888-707-7786.