Swimming 🏊♂️
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We don't pay for lessons, but I try and take her regularly, she wears armbands and can doggy paddle and knows how to tread water climb in and out the pool (first thing I taught her) also really water confident has no fear about jumping in I saw on insta somewhere that apparently they don't have the ability to learn until 5 how true that is I don't know
We've been doing lessons since she was 6 months and this term is when they start to do 5m unaided, which she unofficially did last week (the teacher wasn't watching!)! My husband takes her, so I hadn't seen her in the pool for a while til we went last week on holiday, but she's so confident in wanting to let go and be independent. They're teaching both doggy paddle and back stroke, and she loves "diving" for rings (with help) in not too deep water. She can do a star float and mushroom float (not sure the benefits of that one!). No arm bands or any floats used in any of the above. I do know what you mean though - it did feel like for quite a while at lessons that they weren't really doing much, and that it would be ages to actually swim, but it seems to have suddenly consolidated (or maybe just cos I don't see her every week anymore, it feels like a bigger step).
We used to pay for lessons but then it got to expensive so now we go two times a month and my son has progressed more with that than with the lessons.
My little one has been doing swimming since about 3 months and he has been moved this week to stage 1. He is capable of swimming short distances with arms and leg movements, he goes under the water to grab the floaties, confidently jumps in and does not wear arm bands. It took us three different swimming schools/leisure centres before we found a teacher and location that worked well for him and he is flourishing. I do believe it is his ‘thing’ as he has always been exceptionally good since young.
My boy is at a similar level. We've been doing swimming lessons since he was 9 months. He's very happy and confident in the water, but not swimming independently or anything and refuses to put his head under. If anything he's gone backwards in his abilities since he moved up to doing independent lessons in September. It feels like last term was more about learning to listen and wait for his turn, than actually learning to swim.
We pay for lessons but only started in September. I personally didn’t think it was worth while before then. They have a strict structure and move on up in levels when they’ve completed certain aspects.
We have been going to lessons since my son was 6 months. He cannot swim but jumps, dives, goes under water and is independent on a noodle. I read somewhere that it’s ok not to swim before the age of 4-5. I still see lots of benefits like confidence in water, lack of fear in the sea, building muscles and physical health, better immunity, us doing a physical activity together. I go with another mum friend and her daughter so it’s a social thing for me too. So he was offered to go up the next level and his friend is not ready yet, so we are staying in the current level because I don’t really care about the formal progress. He will swim for sure towards the age of 5, and I don’t need for him to start swimming asap.
We’ve been taking maxi since the beginning of the year and from the first session until now he’s come along massively! In January he would just stand at the end of the pool with his feet in and now he will jump in and put his head under the water and is starting to move his arms and legs in a coordinated fashion! We’ve not paid daddy used to be a lifeguard and has been teaching him! We take floating and sinking toys for him to chase and he watches brother and sister too!