When to Start Your Child in Swim Lessons

Wondering what age is best to start your child in swimming lessons? Read on for advice from local experts.

Are you convinced that your child will be the next Michael Phelps or Natalie Coughlin? If so, you may believe your children should start swimming as soon as possible. Many coaches, including Imagine Swimming's co-founder Casey Barrett, would agree. At Barrett's swimming academy, children can begin taking swim lessons with their parents at six months old. These lessons help children acclimate to the water and prepare them for more advanced classes.

"A lot of times, we're teaching parents as much as we're teaching kids in the earliest classes," says Barrett, whose introductory class incorporates music, focuses on basic safety, and teaches parents to hold their infants properly in the water so they can still move their arms and legs. "Ideally for the earliest classes, we just want the kids to be smiling and thrilled to come back."

Unlike swimming enthusiasts, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has traditionally encouraged parents to hold off on swim lessons until children are 4 years old. The AAP fears children who start swimming earlier may view themselves as drown-proof. The organization also contends that parents may not follow the recommendations that parents remain within arms' reach of infants and toddlers.

Still, the AAP acknowledges that children develop at different rates and that children will be ready to swim at different ages. Parents of children who are regularly exposed to water may choose to enroll their children in swimming lessons earlier than their peers. Other considerations include emotional maturity, physical limitations, and other health concerns.

The AAP recommendations, however, may be part of the reason that the most popular classes at Imagine Swimming are for 3- through 5-year-olds. That age range, according to Barrett, is the "golden period" for children who want to begin swimming lessons. In the same way that children acquire language, there's a window of opportunity for swim lessons. During this period, children aren't intimidated by the water and can quickly learn the skills necessary to be successful.