when to start swimming

"Ernst Schmidtmann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello you guys!

I am a father of two female children age 2 and 3.

Last week we went to a local swimming hall to have fun in the water.
The kids had fun in the baby pool. Because both children showed no
fear, I decided to buy some roll up arm bands.

Applied them to the 3-years old and went to the adult pool. But
children learn fast and after 5 minutes she noticed that she float in
the water.

The next step was to teach her how she can bring herself in the right
horizontal position and tread the water. After thirty minutes it was
done and she started to paddle through the pool. I stayed 2 meters
away and retreated, when she approached. After some minutes more she
was confident enough to cross the pool on her own.

The same I tried with the younger one, but she was scared. Never mind.

My questions now:

1. Does it make sense to enroll her to a swimming course?

1.1. Over here in Germany they have baby swimming from 1-3 years old.
Unfortunately the water is 30 cm deep and IMHO it is not suitable for
her. More like water adaptation while playing with some tools.

1.2. They have swimming for 4-5 years old. The water is 60 cm deep and
it sounds reasonable.

1.3. I am not a professional, I can not swim all sorts of swimming,
but I am able to swim 2000 m and more (chest). Is it reasonable to
teach her myself?

2. If I do it myself or enroll in a course. How many times a week for
how long and how many weeks is recommended?

I am sorry to disturb with you these stupid questions, but some
websites I found lack of individual advice.

Best regards,

Ernst

The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at the
beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of course. By
age three, they are usually ready to try swimming classes on their own
but this is, of course, highly individual. I recommend you contact your
local YMCA and ask about their course offerings.

-S-

Quoted message said:

The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at the
beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of course. By
age three, they are usually ready to try swimming classes on their own but
this is, of course, highly individual. I recommend you contact your local
YMCA and ask about their course offerings.

-S-

Do they have YMCAs in Germany? I don't recall seeing any when I was there.

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

Hi Ernst,

Ernst Schmidtmann <[email hidden]> schrieb am 30.07.07
zum Thema: when to start swimming

Quoted message said:

I am a father of two female children age 2 and 3.

Congratulations!

Quoted message said:

My questions now:
1. Does it make sense to enroll her to a swimming course?

If you don't have to push her - sure.

Quoted message said:

1.3. I am not a professional, I can not swim all sorts of swimming,
but I am able to swim 2000 m and more (chest). Is it reasonable to
teach her myself?

What do you want? Get her "teached" or get her "have fun in the water".

I practiced kid courses for nearly 12 years. Mostly for kids of age of 2 to
5 years. We did our courses with the focus of them feeling comfortable
and confident in the water. We showed them, what they could do in the
water and supported them in their play and tryings and helped them not
to give up, when they failed. They get motivated by each other in the
group and making her progressing steps when it is time for them.

That is mostly after holiday periods, astonishingly even after autumn or
winter holiday, when they just *didn't swim*! So it's more of sort of
personality development, which reflects in swimming steps.

Most kids made the biggest steps somewhere about age of 4,5 years.
Then they are ready for real swim courses.

Teaching swim technic we offer from age of 5 years on. And we did it
first crawl (back - then front) and at last breast stroke, cause the
latter is by far the most complicated to learn. Back crawl has the
advantage, that the kids have no big problems with breathing and they
can control what they do easily with their eyes - both not that easy in
front crawl.

Quoted message said:

2. If I do it myself or enroll in a course. How many times a week for
how long and how many weeks is recommended?

Enroll her in a course. She will have more fun, and you're not again the
'bad' daddy, who have to 'work' on/with her: easier for her, easier for
you!

Good luck
Ralf

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at the
beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of course.
By age three, they are usually ready to try swimming classes on their
own but this is, of course, highly individual. I recommend you
contact your local YMCA and ask about their course offerings.

-S-

Do they have YMCAs in Germany? I don't recall seeing any when I was
there.

Oops, I missed that, but apparently, yes, they do.

http://www.ymca.net/international/international_links.html - see Germany

http://www.cvjm.de - Christliche Verein Junger Menschen

I know absolutely nothing about how similar or dissimilar the swimming
programs may be over there.

-S-

Quoted message said:

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at
the beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of
course. By age three, they are usually ready to try swimming classes
on their own but this is, of course, highly individual. I recommend
you contact your local YMCA and ask about their course offerings.

-S-

Do they have YMCAs in Germany? I don't recall seeing any when I was
there.

Oops, I missed that, but apparently, yes, they do.

http://www.ymca.net/international/international_links.html - see
Germany

http://www.cvjm.de - Christliche Verein Junger Menschen

I know absolutely nothing about how similar or dissimilar the swimming
programs may be over there.

It looks like there are 15-ish "member federations" by which I think
they mean branches there.

Quoted message said:

-S-

Quoted message said:

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

Sorry Steve,

we have similar organisations, the YCMA is not of big importance over
here. If you see the post of Ralf Mueller you can see that his
objections cope with the American Red Cross ones, for example.

The idea to enroll her in a course seems interesting to me.

However, thank you very much!

Best regards,

Ernst

Steve Freides said:

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

>The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at
>the beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of
>course. By age three, they are usually ready to try swimming classes
>on their own but this is, of course, highly individual. I recommend
>you contact your local YMCA and ask about their course offerings.
>
>-S-

Do they have YMCAs in Germany? I don't recall seeing any when I was
there.

Oops, I missed that, but apparently, yes, they do.

http://www.ymca.net/international/international_links.html - see
Germany

http://www.cvjm.de - Christliche Verein Junger Menschen

I know absolutely nothing about how similar or dissimilar the swimming
programs may be over there.

It looks like there are 15-ish "member federations" by which I think
they mean branches there.

Quoted message said:

-S-

Quoted message said:

Pat in TX

>

"Ernst Schmidtmann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sorry Steve,

we have similar organisations, the YCMA is not of big importance over
here. If you see the post of Ralf Mueller you can see that his
objections cope with the American Red Cross ones, for example.

The idea to enroll her in a course seems interesting to me.

However, thank you very much!

You're welcome. If it matters, here in the US, the Y*W*CA swim program
is very much like the Red Cross swim program, while the Y*M*CA swim
program is something different. The same goes for their respective
lifeguard courses.

-S-

Quoted message said:

Best regards,

Ernst

Steve Freides said:

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

>
>>The YMCA has programs for kids as young as six months of age - at
>>the beginning, the kids are in the water with their parents, of
>>course. By age three, they are usually ready to try swimming
>>classes on their own but this is, of course, highly individual. I
>>recommend you contact your local YMCA and ask about their course
>>offerings.
>>
>>-S-
>
>Do they have YMCAs in Germany? I don't recall seeing any when I was
>there.

Oops, I missed that, but apparently, yes, they do.

http://www.ymca.net/international/international_links.html - see
Germany

http://www.cvjm.de - Christliche Verein Junger Menschen

I know absolutely nothing about how similar or dissimilar the
swimming programs may be over there.

It looks like there are 15-ish "member federations" by which I think
they mean branches there.

Quoted message said:

-S-

>Pat in TX
>
>>
>