The Aquakiddies/Babies Program The Benefits of Teaching Young Children to Swim | FAQ's

Aquakiddies & Swimming Lessons for Children

Background to Aquababies Swimming Lessons for Children

The Aquababies method of teaching swimming lessons for children was pioneered in Australia during the 1960's. Program deviser, Julie-Ann James, was one of the first children that this baby swimming method was taught to and the first to introduce this technique to the UK. Now one of the country's leading baby swimming experts, Julie-Ann has taught tens of thousands of young children to swim. The Aquakiddies/Aquababies swimming lessons for children program is the result of her extensive hands on experience and global research into swimming lessons for babies during her 25-year career as a baby swimming specialist.

Swimming Lessons for Children Program

The foundations of the swimming lessons for children (babies) program are based on different levels of communication timulating the senses and taking into account reflexes and responses of babies and young children. We aim to provide positive associations with swimming and the lessons are informative, friendly and lots of fun. Stringent health and safety procedures are rigorously followed and all of our teachers are fully qualified holding STA (Swimming Teachers Association) and or ASA (The governing body for swimming in UK) certification. In addition to these qualifications for teaching babies to swim our instructors have also undergone our own extensive in-house baby swimming training program.

We encourage the early development of baby's natural swimming skills, enhancing their general health, awareness, eating and sleeping patterns and strengthening their cardio-respiratory functions.

Teaching Babies to Swim

Our baby swimming lessons aim is to teach parents/carers the correct and safe method to teach their child to swim safely.

Our teaching methods are based on persuasive exercises relating to the child's stage of physical and social development. These exercises all aim towards the beginnings of learning to swim.

We use gentle submersions if adult and baby are willing. We never ask you to do anything in our swimming lessons for babies/toddlers that you do not want to. We use submersions as part of the technique to teach breath control, which is a fundamental part of baby swimming. We teach basic water safety and confidence techniques and use nursery songs in the toddler swimming classes to engage the children and provide positive associations with swimming. However, we are more than simply a splash and fun class - we aim to lay the foundations of future swimming.

Swimming Lessons for Children- Structure

The swimming lessons for children are structured with a different progressive aim to each swimming lesson.

There are 3 stages of baby swimming (Stage 1, Stage 2 and Advanced Babies). Each stage is five weeks long, that is, five x 30 minute sessions. Stages may be repeated as progression is matched to the individual needs of each child.

We aim to be as flexible as possible, so we only ask you to commit to one stage at a time. During your course you will be asked if you would like to rebook on to the next stage so that we can offer places to new customers. Every five weeks a new block of courses starts at every level. You can return at the next stage of your course whenever and at any venue you choose.

Babies remain in Advanced Babies until they are 12/13 months when they go into a Toddler class. There are two stages of the toddler section of the program Toddlers, Advanced Toddlers. We also teach older children in our Aquakiddies and Dolphins program which includes beginners ,intermediate and advanced levels.

The core foundation of our swimming lessons for children structure is to teach key elements of learning to swim that relate to children's developmental stages, whilst having fun.