Swim Early, Swim Always

The earlier the better. The younger you sign your kids up for child swimming lessons, the better off they, and the better off you will be. Kids can swim at three years old. Sign them up and they'll be able to jump over their heads and swim by age four.

The longer you wait to enroll kids in swim lessons, the more afraid of the water they'll become and the larger they will be (making it harder for them and the instructor to work together, float, and relax in the water).

Pool Party!

Pool party! If you have your child's friends over to swim in your pool, ask the other parents to come too. It can be a fun day for all without the added stress for you to watch everyone all the time. The more eyes the better, the safer, and the more relaxing. Here are some other tips when throwing a pool party for a child:

• Learn CPR and practice it.
• Serve cold drinks with fruit juice, not sugar.
• Require the kids to take ten minutes of every hour out of the pool and in the shade.
• Sunscreen is a one hundred percent must!

Lakes vs. Pools, Who Wins?

Want to enroll a young swimmer in swim classes? Find a group kids swim lesson at your local lake or pool. Lakes are better for younger swimmers because the kids can walk into the water from ankle deep to chest deep – always being able to put their feet on the ground. You can't do this at a pool, which are generally 3'6” deep at their shallowest.

Pools are good for kids swimming at levels 4 or higher (able to swim twenty five yards of freestyle or backstroke without aid). Group lessons are better than private lessons and much less expensive. If your kid sees another kid swimming, he or she will be more likely to try it.

Lifeguards Really do Save Lives

“Swim at your own risk” – NEVER! Not with the kids swimming, anyway. Lakes, ponds, and oceans have terrain under the water that you are not familiar with and help is too far away if you need to save someone from an unexpected injury, panic, or fatigue. It's just not worth the risk.

Go to the lake or public ocean beach with a lifeguard on duty or bring one with you. Never swim in a lake by yourself or with children alone.