Here in Southern California we are blessed with the kind of weather that allows year- round outdoor activity. We have an abundance of beaches, lakes and pools, and the ability to swim is a necessity for the safe enjoyment of any water related activity. Having spent most of my almost 71 years in and around the water, I am amazed by the fact that approximately half of the population in this country does not know how to swim. It is this sad fact that contributes to drowning as being one of the leading causes of accidental death nationally. The ability to swim is not a guarantee that one will never drown, just as the ability to drive a car cannot guarantee that one will never become an accident victim. However, it is certainly reasonable to assume that with strong swimming skills, adherence to safety rules and use of common sense, the risk of drowning would be significantly reduced. How one goes about developing those skills is what I would like to share with you in this article.

Learning to swim is a gift of life…for life. This is an activity that can (and for some does) begin at birth and can continue throughout life. In my fifty two years of teaching swimming I have seen almost every way imaginable to teach this skill. I learned how to swim at the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro as a nervous five year old in the unheated pool with twenty other nervous five year olds and our teachers standing on the deck with long bamboo poles for us to hold onto as they barked out instructions and dragged us through the water. Thank goodness there have been some improvements in teaching methods and philosophies since 1953. Today there are many types of programs available for learning to swim. The American Red Cross and YMCA have been sources of instruction for decades. Parents and private instructors have also filled the need. I have been part of another source and that is the private swim school. As with so many things in life, the choices we make are influenced by location, cost, quality and availability. There are many factors to consider in searching for swim lessons.

Infant and toddler programs are usually found at private swim schools. The instructors should have specific training and understanding of appropriate child development characteristics for this age (under three years). The pool facility should be clean and in compliance with all health and safety codes. The water temperature should be warmer than 88 degrees which provides a more comfortable learning environment. Little ones’ skin temperature is around 91 degrees and we lose body heat in 80 degree water at about the same rate as 40 degree air temperature. This is one of the most important factors for infant-toddler lessons.

The class format may vary from private, semi-private to parent and me groups. Progress in this age group is influenced by many factors including age, personality, number of lessons, frequency and duration of lessons and the amount of reinforcement that is provided. Lessons for infants and toddlers should develop a foundation of skills that progress steadily to increased ability. Learning to swim is a process, not an event and should be considered as an ongoing part of a child’s growth and development process.What a child in this age group can be expected to learn is dependent on all of the above factors. I have seen infants that can float on their backs and toddlers that can swim across
a pool getting a breath on their own and climb out of the pool unassisted. I have worked with frightened five year olds that are afraid to put their face in the water and have had two year olds that have swum in our swim meets.

Parents that are interested in lessons for this age group should talk to friends that have participated in lessons, visit and observe programs and choose the one with which they are most comfortable.

Lessons for pre-school age (three and four year olds) are also usually found in the swim school setting. These children also fare better in very warm water and usually will learn more effectively in a low student teacher ratio. The same factors will affect how they learn, however this age group has greater physical development, more cognitive understanding and sometimes more emotional control. The emotional considerations are often overlooked when waiting until a child is more physically developed to begin lessons. A four year child with little or no previous water experience quite often finds tremendous anxiety associated with the new environment to which he is being immersed. Beginning the process earlier usually progresses with smooth transitions through the developmental phases of the early years.

Once the foundation skills are acquired these children are capable of learning the four competitive strokes and enjoying many recreational family water activities. I know families that have three and four year olds boating and jet skiing, learning to water ski, surfing and snorkeling.

School age children have all the same factors to consider but they have much more potential because of their life experience, including physical, mental and emotional growth, as well as their social and educational development in school. These children can learn skills more quickly, with greater retention, and can do well in group classes. They can also tolerate cooler water, especially in summer months, although everyone benefits from learning in warm water.

There are also lessons for advanced swimmers, adults or those with special needs or disabilities. High level swimmers can seek help with technique from a number of sources including coaches who give private lessons and swim schools that offer stroke technique. Adults who are beginners should find pools with warm water and methods that build foundation skills before launching into technique too early. I have worked with many special children and adults through the years and whether I am dealing with one who has Down Syndrome, is autistic, hearing or visually impaired, they all require the same attention to their individual needs and programs that provide for any limits that may be presented. When taught in a loving and positive environment, eventually all students can learn to enjoy their time in the water and swim to the best of their abilities.