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LucyP
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We just bit the bullet and bought 13 weeks of a swimming pool time share. It is an hour a week, and will often just be 4yo son, 2yo daughter, dh and me, but sometimes also my mum, or another home ed family. I'm so pleased even though it is very expensive as I would never get into a public pool. Thing is - how do you teach swimming? I spent 11 years+ messing about in school pools, public pools, and a relative's pool until I suddenly learnt at 16, so I am not sure how to do it in a more cost-effective way!
Any ideas or advice?
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LLMom
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Lucy,
Some of the professionals and lifeguards out there may not like my technique  , but we just swim when they are little. I put them in floaties and have them put there face in the water and blow bubbles, practice kicking, moving their arms, etc. Then I take the floaties off, one at a time, and have them go under the water and back up while I am standing there, float on their back with me holding them, hold them on their tummy while they put their face in and kick and dog paddle, etc. Just get them familiar with the water while they are young (and not to fear it) and then they can learn the fancier techniques when older. Just my unschooly method. 
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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stacykay
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I completely second Lisa's suggestion to get comfortable and not fear the water. My oldest had a bad experience when he was 5 with swim lessons (just didn't want to put his head under!) and it took years to get over that for him to learn to swim.
If your 4yo is interested, you might pick up a kick board for him to hang onto and practice kicking. Just a few minutes, regularly, will help him.
It sounds like a lot of fun!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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mom2mpr
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As a former Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor--swim instructor--and now, a mom, I agree that just having the kids comfortable in the water is better than lessons for 8 weeks.
It is that exposure to the water in a playful, pressure free environment that gives kids the opportunity to learn to swim naturally and not be afraid of the water.
I bought the Safety Seal swim vest thingy's. A little vest with buoyant stuff in front and back and you can take pads out as the kids get comfortable and learn to swim.
My 6 year old, was finally swimming last summer without her "bubble" , or vest, but not getting her face wet. We worked on blowing bubbles for a week this summer, then she realized she could get her whole face wet, now she is a little fish swimming UNDER the water. It took all of a week for this development. Ds was about this age when all this happened too.
Your kids are still young. Just take them and have fun!!
Some squirty water toys, blow up rings and diving stuff(if they are brave--unlike my kids at those ages). Try to get them to jump off the side, in the shallower area where you can stand, and catch them.
And be prepared to camp out at the stairs or ladder for a lot of the time.
Anne
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pmeilaen
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I've taken my children to a local swimming class and they hated it. The idea was to take away the fear of the water, and the teachers followed a step by step program. They were supposed to put their heads under water and get items from the bottom of the pool. In my opinion, you first have to teach swimming and then diving!
I grew up in Germany and we have to take swimming classes starting in grade one in school. We learned breast stroke in grades 1-4 and also jumping into the pool from various heights. In the higher grades we learned different strokes and diving. I think this way makes more sense because you know you can keep yourself above water by learning breast stroke first. We didn't combine the breast stroke with the proper breathing technique until later (breathe out into the water). So there was not much danger of having to put your head completely under the water.
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Eva
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lapazfarm
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We totally unschooled swimming.
When we first moved to Key Largo my husband thought we should get swimming lessons for JBug. (She was 7 but a complete non-swimmer.)
I told him "Wait. I know this child. Be patient and she will teach herself."
And she did.
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guitarnan
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This is all excellent advice. Some younger children love swimming from day 1 - but many don't. Overcoming fear of a wet head, splashed face, etc. can take a long time. Lisa has great suggestions...and you can spread them out over a couple of years with no harm done.
Definitely avoid diving until they feel okay under water.
Just a suggestion - singing songs (Hokey Pokey!) with accompanying actions can be a fun way to accustom young children to the water.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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doris
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We used 'noodles' rather than armbands with our older two and they seemed to help with having a real feeling of floating. We also used wetsuits because we were in a coooold outdoor pool -- but it also had the advantage of adding floatiness.
I thought my two would never learn to swim... So much protesting, so much slow progress... Then one day, it just happened.
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
Frabjous Days
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Cherishedheart
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I would agree that time in the pool is what is needed and unless you are looking for perfect strokes then exposure over a period of time is the best way I believe.
I taught our oldest son to swim in 1 week after he had numerous lessons. I believe that it was constant time in the pool that did it.
We have several non swimmers due to the fact there are no indoor swimming pool here and we have a very short not hot summer. I am confident when we move to hotter climates they will be able to swim simply from being in the water.
Many Blessings 
Gae wife to Stephen for 22 years
Mummy to
Kynan 89, Braedon 91, Autumn 93, Eden 95, Saxon 96, Vellvin 98, Rogan 00, Moran 02, Myffwyn 04, Corbyn 06 and little Arwen born 23/1/09
http://cherishedheartsathome.blogspot.com/
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brabec7
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I would like to suggest the swim bouy or bubble. My now 18 year old used this when she started going to the pool at two. We have used it with every child since without formal lessons. All presently swim on a swim team...even the five year old.
http://www.swimbuoy.com/
The link is to the product but you can find them at places like SwimOutlet on the web. Why does this work more so than anything else we have tried..? Well, it does what the swim belts do and that is allow kids to develope strong arms. The water wings don't allow for this as much. The difference between this and a swim belt is that this bubble or bouy allows for you to gradually decrease the amount of air in the bubble. Therefore a child gradually uses less and less support.
This also allows for them to really feel secure in the pool without holding on to a side or parent. They quickly gain confidence.
Our one and only swim bouy lasted for 12 years until our young lab found it laying out by the pool. It has since been retired to the garbage. So, they last a real long time. We bought ours for 9.00 in 1995. That was a worthy investment since four more kiddos have used it. Much cheaper then lessons.
I don't know if this is an option for kids pass five or six...I have never used it beyond four. I started with most of them at two or three and by four they were able to swim independent of me or the bouy.
Just a thought...
Blessings,
Lisa B
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Michiel
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I was very adamant that boys would learn to swim. We joined a pool that was outdoors, and heated. And it had a great shallow end where kids could touch and get comfortable. then it was a status thing to be allowed to the deep end, which happened when they could swim across the pool and tread water for one minute. They took lessons which were advance at own pace lessons, and some private for my harder child. Both were advanced to deep end by age 4. Get them comfortable first!
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stacykay
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| Posted: Aug 21 2009 at 8:16pm | IP Logged
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Lucy,
How is it going for your kiddies? I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but I was wondering how they are liking the water.
We start "formal" lessons in two weeks. My boys (older, at 11 and 7) are quite excited! 
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Teaching to swim?
