I loved swimming as a child.
Not the initial learning part in an unheated, outdoor school pool – I did everything I could to avoid those lessons.
I am talking about the fun bit……….. Inflatable parties and water disco’s at Littlehampton Swimming Centre spring to mind.
Then as I got older it was all about the ASA Life Saving badges, swimming in pyjama’s and retrieving a slippery black brick from the deep end. Then it was seeing who could hurl themselves off the highest diving board at the Aquarena in Worthing.
Swimming is the one skill I wanted to pass onto my children, and they have all attended lessons at some point in their lives. It has enabled them to take part in many fun activities from boating to coasteering, scuba diving to just safely enjoying our local beach.
It doesn’t matter what age you start and it is never too late to learn. Isaac, however, was my first water baby and started lessons at 3 months – he is now swimming on his own and is a real little fish.
Eliza is also doing well and at 2 is now going in the water with just her classmates and the instructors. She does wear a buoyancy aid back pack, but as she gets more confident in the water, a layer gets removed.
It is important that children feel safe and comfortable in the water and I can highly recommend kids swimming aids from Zoggs. Here is Eliza swimming with her big brother and sister wearing her backfloat.
You can find Zoggs online at www.zoggs.co.uk – they stock a huge range of swimming aids, swimming costumes, accessories and of course their well known goggles. They even do UV sunsuits, perfect for a day out at the beach or local paddling pool.
I have to admit I preferred structured lessons when the kids were little as they teach water confidence and how to move through the water and get in and out safely, but there is nothing wrong with getting a trainer seat and having a splashing good time!
**This is a commisioned post**