The Swimbabes course is primarily designed to use baby’s natural affinity to water, and where appropriate their early gag reflex, to introduce them to water confidence and safety from an early age. Babies can join the Swimbabes programme from 4 weeks up to 18 months of age. All courses are based on baby’s and children’s developmental needs—physically and psychologically. Groups are kept small to provide a calm environment and teaching is geared to individual needs.

Click on the links below to find out more about our lessons.

How to get on a baby swimming course?
What age can my baby start swimming?
How much will baby swimming with swimbabes cost?
What can I do at home?
Do I need to be able to swim to attend courses with my baby?
What other benefits are there for my baby?
When should I feed my baby?
What should my baby wear for swimming?
What if my baby cries?
What time do baby swim lessons start?
Where can I change my baby?
Does my baby need to be immunised?
How do I let you know about any medical conditions?
How was the Swimbabes course developed?
How are the baby swim classes taught?
Who teaches Swimbabes lessons?
How soon will my baby be able to swim?
How can I track my baby's progress?
What is the Swimbabes philosophy?
Does Swimbabes offer toddler swimming lessons?

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How to get on a baby swimming course?

If you live in Yorkshire or North Derbyshire you can register your interest in our courses on line. Once you have registered an interest you will be contacted within a few days to confirm details and place your baby on our waiting list for the next available course. Courses are usually between 9 and 12 weeks long with breaks for holidays throughout the year. We will contact you several weeks prior to the start of the next available course to arrange your booking.

Please make sure you have read and understood the terms and conditions of booking before you enroll on a course. Also, do read all of this section which contains important practical information for when you attend your sessions.

Term Dates for swimbabes 2010

February 2010 term - runs from 8th february to 30th april with no classes 15-20th february and 2-8th april

May 2010 term - runs from 4th may to 17th july with no classes 31st may - 5th june

July 2010 term - runs from 19th July to 9th october with no classes 16 - 30th august

October 2010 term - runs from 11th october to 8th January 2011 with no classes 25 - 30 october and 20 december - 2nd january 2011.

Please note these term dates are currenlty correct for all pools but do always check your confirmation letter for any differences at your specific pool.

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What age can my baby start swimming?

Babies can start Swimbabes classes from 4 weeks of age and ideally before they are 18 months, it is really about when you feel comfortable to bring them along. Courses do however run in terms of about 10 weeks and we do operate a waiting list so it is best to register early to make sure you can get a place when you need it.

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How much will baby swimming with swimbabes cost?

Swimbabes baby swimming usually costs £110 for first 10 week term including baby swim kit, thereafter £92 for a 10 week term. For all places booked we donate £1 to charity (The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund) in Leeds.

Our costs can vary from pool to pool, so please contact us to find out the exact cost at your nearest pool.

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What can I do at home?

Before you come on the course and particularly during the first term we would recommend that your practice basic splash and floating exercise at home in the bath.

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Do I need to be able to swim to attend courses with my baby?

No, all our lessons are in shallow water where an adult can easily stand and walk.

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What other benefits are there for my baby?

As well as water confidence and safety, your baby will benefit from the strength, co-ordination and cardiovascular exercises. Sessions also encourage language skills and a strong bond between parent and child develops, helping baby to relax whilst stimulating the senses in a variety of ways. Our classes are great fun for parents too and can be a good way to meet like minded friends, lots of our groups meet up away from the sessions too.

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When should I feed my baby?

Try to feed the baby 1-2 hours before each lesson. Do not worry if you need to feed them earlier – milk feeds nearer to a lesson are not usually a problem. For breastfed babies it is usually fine to give a small feed up to half and hour before a session, we do not recommend a full bottle feed  in the hour before a session. Please note that your baby may need an extra feed AFTER a lesson as they have burnt up a lot of energy during the swimming session.

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What should my baby wear for swimming?

Babies and toddlers attending our course must always wear two aqua nappies whilst swimming: a disposable swim nappy (such as Huggies), together with a Happy Nappy on top. The Happy Nappy has been specifically designed for baby swimming programmes such as ours whereas other swimming nappies can leak due to failing to fit snugly enough around baby’s legs.

Please do note that even when toddlers are potty trained we will require them to wear a swim nappy at the pool up to the age of 4 years. We do understand that many children are potty trained younger than this age however we have experienced several instances with older potty trained children having accidents at the pool. Any passing of solids into the water can mean that the pool has to be closed and all classes cancelled for that day, it is a condition of our contract with all our venues that we do not let this happen.

The correct use of swim nappies is a health and safety issue and we are now contractually bound to ensure that any baby or toddler who is not wearing a suitable nappy is refused entry to the pool.

 

Happy Nappy Sizing

Description	Age	Weight	Price
Extra-small	0 - 3 months	Under 4.5kg Under 10lb	£10.00
Small	3 - 6 months	4.5 - 6kg 10 - 14lb	£10.00
Medium	6 - 12 months	6 - 11kg 14 - 25lb	£10.00
Large	12 - 18 months	11 - 18kg 25 - 40lb	£10.00
Extra large	18 - 24 months	18 - 23kg 40 - 51lb	£10.00

 

Your first course fee includes a baby swim kit that has a Happy Nappy and 5 Huggies Little Swimmers to get you started. When you need a bigger size or if you need a wetsuit to keep your baby a bit warmer in the water just let us know and we will arrange this for you. Your teacher will check that your nappy is correctly fitted. We would also recommend that you bring a spare disposable swim nappy (just in case).

All of the pools we use for babies are heated to a minimum of 32 degrees. However if your baby still seems to be feeling cold you may want to consider using a baby wetsuit. These are also essential when taking small babies and young toddlers to cooler pools, most Local Authority pools will only be heated to 29.5 degrees and on holiday you may find the pools are very chilly.

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What if my baby cries?

All babies cry for various reasons; tired, hungry, teething etc. Your teacher is experienced and can talk you through any problems and adjust your programme accordingly – it may be that you just need a change in class time to better suit your baby's routine.

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What time do baby swim lessons start?

Our classes do start promptly so please allow adequate time for your journey and to change yourself and your baby. This is particularly important for your first visit when you will also need to fit your baby’s nappy too.

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Where can I change my baby?

All of the pools we use are small, private facilities and are hired on the basis of their warm pool temperature and good water quality. This does however mean that the communal areas and changing facilities are small. Please do come to classes as pre-prepared as possible. Each venue has slightly different changing facilities but we do recommend that you bring your own change mat and change baby on the floor as this is the safest and most hygienic method.

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Does my baby need to be immunised?

The current immunisation programme does not affect a baby's opportunity to go swimming and it is NOT a precursor to a baby joining a swimming class. For further advice, please visit www.immunisations.org.uk.

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How do I let you know about any medical conditions?

Upon making a booking you will be required to complete a registration form. This will ask you to agree to our standard terms and conditions of booking (link) and also require you to provide medical information and emergency contact details. If your baby does have a medical condition please do check with your doctor before booking.

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How was the Swimbabes course developed?

The course has been developed based on initiatives from Australia and the US where the issue of water safety has been at the forefront for many years. The courses developed here are immensely popular for both the skills they provide and the enormous social and physical benefits that are derived. Most of our teachers have undertaken the advanced birthlight training programme which has a strong emphasis on the overall well being of baby and parent with links to baby massage and yoga.

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How are baby swim classes taught?

Courses are on average 10 weeks long but may vary slightly depending on how they fall between major holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter. Classes are either 25 minutes or half an hour each long, depending on your chosen venue, each week with babies entering the water under the supervision of a parent or carer (dads and grandparents welcome) and, of course, your teacher.

All babies begin on a Preliminary One course which introduces the ‘play, train, play’ program. Babies then progress at their own pace through Preliminary Two (building on basic skills); Intermediate (introducing skills such as turning and swimming to hold on); and Advanced (breath holding and greater water confidence skills).

There are 5 levels from prelim 1 to swim school. Groups for 25 minute sessions are no larger than 6 and in our half hour sessions can be up to 10, with parent. Teaching is based on word associations and repetition, the instructor provides demonstrations for new skills and the level of the skill is built up through the course and levels.

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Who teaches Swimbabes lessons?

Your teacher has been specially trained to teach these classes and has passed pool tests and written examinations to qualify. All of our teachers have current pool lifesaving certificates and several of our teachers have completed the Birthlight advanced training programme. All instructors are ASA or STA qualified and hold the National Pool Lifeguard qualification or NARS Certificate. It is our policy to ensure all staff hold.

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How soon will my baby be able to swim?

The journey to good swimming takes a lot of practice and patience. Every child will achieve the goals in their own time and should not be rushed or forced into activities they are not ready for. The course is not competitive and our teachers believe that the child’s confidence is only developed through allowing them to develop at their own pace – maintaining their enjoyment throughout the programme. The key to development at this early stage is repetition – reinforcing verbal instructions and ensuring longer term awareness of water safety and confidence.

Most babies will make the move from Prelim 1 to Prelim 2 and from Prelim 2 to Intermediate upon the completion of the full course. Once at intermediate there are several skills to be mastered before a baby / toddler can graduate to the advanced stage. These include being able to perform a 180 degree turn, execution of a long free swim and swim to hold on. Toddlers in the advanced lessons develop a range of skills and must be competent at swim and breath exercises before they can progress. In swim school we encourage the development of skills to a level where the parent is no longer in the pool with the child and they can swim a full width unaided.

Clearly the age that a child can attain each level will vary from child to child and will depend on the age that they started their Swimbabes programme. Our classes are small and are held in warm pools. Getting children in the pool early means that by the time they are four they may have learnt to doggy paddle and might even have mastered some basic strokes. At the earliest stage they learn lifesaving skills including floating, turning and swimming to hold on. Through continuous development on the course they may be able to swim 5m unaided by the age of 3 years.

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How can I track my baby's progress?

When you book a Swimbabes Course you receive a course booklet that sets out general information on the programme and has all of the levels of achievement with a space for you to insert the silk ribbon awards that your baby will achieve at completion of each level. This is an excellent momento of your baby’s early swimming with Swimbabes.

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What is the Swimbabes philosophy?

Our philosophy is to ensure safety and water confidence in the water, encouraging parents to fully utilise the benefits and enjoyment that they can have swimming with their children – whether at classes, on holiday or trips to the pool.

Water confidence and the ability to swim from a young age is certainly a gift for life - opening the door for you to enjoy a wide range of water based activities from diving to sailing.

We believe that introducing to water from an early age helps them avoid the traumatic experience that older children sometimes suffer around water. More importantly we believe that babies who learn key life saving skills from an early age, many of whom can swim by as young as 2 years old, while not drown proof have a much greater regard for water and are safer around it.

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Does Swimbabes offer toddler swimming sessions?

Swimbabes also offer water confidence classes for toddlers from 2 to 5 years of age. These courses have a strong focus on water safety as well as general confidence and are designed to teach parents key exercises that will enable their child to swim confidently at an early age without the use of floatation aids. Groups are kept small to provide a calm environment and teaching is geared to individual needs.

We offer weekly term based courses, similar to our baby swim programme. These are most suited for younger, pre-school children as they are held on weekday mornings and limited afternoon slots. A course booklet will be provided for the parent to assess a wide range of skills between courses with the child and then stickers and awards will be given at the next course.

The programme will ensure your child is competent at a range of skills initially including jumping in, rotation, floating, kicking with floats and climbing out. The course then develops through and to complete the course your child will be able to show a range of skills and basic stoke development techniques including blowing bubbles, submersion, moving freely around the pool using a bar or edge, good kick action, arm action and confident free floating. On completion of the programme your child will be able to swim up to 5 meters independently on their front and back, many children have achieved this by as young as 3 and 4 years of age.

Courses are on average 10 weeks long but may vary slightly depending on how they fall between major holiday periods such as Christmas and Easter. Classes are either 25 minutes or half an hour each long, depending on your chosen venue, each week with babies entering the water under the supervision of a parent or carer (dads and grandparents welcome) and, of course, your teacher.

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