As parents, we all want to see our children progress as quickly as possible through skills and class level. It’s our hope that by sending them to their swim lesson every week without fail, they will quicky become a capable, champion swimmer.
However, as great as it is to have your child actively learning in their lessons, there are many other factors that come into play when it comes to considering your child’s progression as a swimmer.
Breaks in lessons
Unfortunately, the lack of lessons last year due to the pandemic can have a big impact on a child’s progression, particularly those in the foundational stage (1-4). The time away from the pool can mean that they will have to start again and re-learn skills.
Age of child
Age is an important factor to consider when looking at your child’s capability and skill in the water. As with any other area in life, your child’s age will determine their ability. It’s like learning to write, child’s writing skills develop from when they first write their name as a preppy to when they are in grade four. As they get older, they will better to be able develop their swimming skills more quickly.
Plateaus
In any learning journey there are always peaks, troughs and plateaus. It is not uncommon for children to become distracted in their swimming lessons and for their progress to be more gradual. This is a common and normal part of the learning process.
Swimming outside of lessons
Children learn from repetition, practise and play, and we strongly encourage that kids enjoy some time in the water outside of their lessons. A full year of swimming lessons in the PARC Swim program equates to a maximum of 22 hours of learning. Play time in the pool will help them on their journey as they use skills they’ve learnt in a setting away from their lessons. Don’t forget, as a PARC Swim member, you can access the pools for play and recreation outside your lessons.
Teacher consistency
We acknowledge that sometimes the teacher/student relationship is not always the best fit, and there is always the option to change your child’s lesson to another day and time with a different teacher available. We do receive feedback about our lack of consistency with our swim teachers, and this is a big point of focus for us. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to have the same teacher cover, but with this the case, your child will still learn in their lesson.
Tips to help your child’s progression
Keep breaks to school holidays
Rest is important, and the school holidays is the perfect time for kids and teachers to have a break and return to lessons refreshed and ready to learn.
Swim for fun!
Recreation time in the water is a great way for kids to have fun in the pool while also strengthening their skills and building their confidence in the pool.
Practise makes perfect
Just as fun time in the water helps, so does purposeful practice, so be sure to balance out extra time in the pool so your child can practice swimming between their lessons.
We hope this blog has helped you better understand swimming lesson skill progression, and how you can help your child improve their confidence and skill level in the water.
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