Your Child’s First Swim Lesson At The Naperville Swim Club
“To be prepared is half the victory.” – Miguel de Cervantes
That should be the motto of every parent who enrolls his or her child into swim lessons. Preparation sets the stage for a more rewarding experience. Conversely, arriving unprepared elevates stress levels, hampers fun and learning, and increases the likelihood your son or daughter will cry.
One of the biggest challenges children face when learning to swim, whether at a Naperville swim club or at home, is their lack of familiarity with being in a pool. Our swim lessons are designed to help them overcome that obstacle. Young students are encouraged through games, songs and fun exercises to enjoy the sessions.
But an important part of the process is in your hands: making sure your child is ready and excited by the time he or she arrives at our pool. Following are a few suggestions to prepare them for the experience.
Teach Your Child To Love The Water
It starts in the bathtub.
Most children learn to be comfortable in the water at an early age. Daily baths acclimate them to the feeling of being submerged, if only for a moment to wash the shampoo from their hair. Why not use that opportunity to prepare your child for his or her first swim lesson?
Here are few suggestions:
- Have your son or daughter wear goggles while taking a bath
- Have him or her practice holding their breath underwater
- Have your child exhale underwater and immediately surface for air
These simple habits will eliminate their fear of the water and ensure they’re ready to enjoy themselves when they arrive at our Naperville swim club.
Help Your Child Get Used To Wearing Swim Goggles
There are two schools of thought concerning kids wearing goggles during swim lessons. Some feel goggles are unnecessary, and thus children should learn to swim without them. Others feel goggles offer practical value in the way they protect the eyes. Hence, children should wear them whenever possible.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. Goggles are technically unnecessary. Swimming without them will not harm your child. At the same time, goggles do offer protection from the chlorine and errant particles in the pool.
Ideally, your son or daughter will be comfortable swimming with or without goggles. We suggested above you have your child practice wearing them in the bathtub. It’s a safe, familiar environment that will allow him or her to gain a sense of comfort.
Help Your Child Form The Right Expectations
Children who respond negatively to their first swim lesson usually do so out of fear. It stems from not knowing what to expect.
You can allay your child’s concerns with a simple conversation. Reassure your son or daughter of the following before arriving at our pool:
- You’ll be watching him or her closely during the entire lesson
- Water may enter his or her nose, causing a slight burning sensation
- Without goggles, your son or daughter’s vision may be blurry at first
- The instructor will be nearby during every moment of the lesson
- Your child may make mistakes, and that’s okay
The most important thing for kids to know when they start lessons at our Naperville swim club is that they’re safe. Help, if needed, is always a mere arm’s length away.
Eat The Right Foods Before The Lesson
Swimming takes energy. That energy comes from food.
You may have heard that it’s unwise to eat before swim lessons. But that’s too broad a statement. The truth is that it’s unwise to eat certain foods.
What types of foods are poor choices before your child’s first swim lesson? Ice cream, chips and other sugary snacks should be avoided. So too should high-fat meals and heavy meat dishes. They can siphon your child’s energy and increase the likelihood of cramps.
Instead, encourage your son or daughter to eat fruit. Apples and berries are excellent options. Give him or her a small portion of pasta or rice. Such foods can be digested easily and metabolized quickly, providing a boost of energy for your child’s swim lesson.
World champion tennis player Arthur Ashe once noted, “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” That perfectly captures the value of preparing your child for his or her first swim lesson. Use the suggestions outlined above to make certain your son or daughter arrives at our Naperville swim club ready to have fun learning to swim.
The DuPage Swimming Center is a state-of-the-art facility that offers a perfect learning environment for kids. Each of our instructors has several years of experience in teaching children how to swim. Contact us today to enroll your child into safe, fun swim lessons in a world-class training facility.