Soon families will start flocking to the rivers and lakes in our area, gathering poolside, turning on the sprinklers and breaking out the Super Soakers. As temperatures soar, kiddy pools unfurl on front lawns and kids look for ways to beat the heat, nothing looks like more fun than water. But the urge to dive in can be dangerous for children who don’t have basic swimming and water safety skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death among children ages one to fourteen.

Kelly Knutsen is a mother well-aware of the hazard. “My daughter is almost four now, and I plan to enroll her in swim lessons this summer. I didn’t any sooner just because I didn’t feel like she was ready. I wasn’t sure how much she would really get out of them. But now that she’s able to reach taller latches and pull open heavier gates, it has me worried.” According to the American Red Cross’ Water Safety Handbook, “The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in, on and around the water is to learn to swim.” So, how young is too young to start teaching kids to swim?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children aren’t developmentally ready for swimming lessons until they reach the age of four. But swimming instructors say children still benefit from instruction that starts at an earlier age. Diane Robinson is Recreation Supervisor of the Cordova Recreation and Park District and an American Red Cross volunteer. She explains, “A child will not usually be able to ‘learn’ skills until they are about 4-5 years old, but they can definitely become oriented to the water and use swimming skills at an earlier age.”

Scott Morris agrees. “Infants and very young children can be better prepared [for swimming lessons] by getting used to the water, even if in a bathtub or shower.” Morris is General Manager of Debbie Meyer Swim School, which has locations in Folsom and Carmichael. “We start children at the age of 6 months, and recommend that they participate in a parent/tot class. Generally we don't start private lessons until…around the age of 2.” He suggests parents help little ones “get used to water being on their heads and in their faces,” adding that helping kids practice in the tub can get them “used to being on their backs, and having water in their ears.”

Children who master basic water skills at a young age are better prepared to grow up into stronger swimmers. Even more importantly, they may have a better chance for survival in case of a water emergency or accident. Morris explains that one of the primary objectives of most swim safety programs is teaching kids how to “get themselves to the [pool’s] edge or stairs for safety,” but he adds that parents need to “look carefully at the school or program they are choosing and what [its staff] will be teaching.” He cautions: “There is a big difference in programs out there.”

To help you identify quality lessons, here is an age-by-age guide of what you can expect your children to learn from a certified swim program:

6 months (and younger) to 3 years
Whether it’s water games, playful mommy-and-me classes, group lessons or one-on-one instruction, the emphasis at this age is on parental education, getting both parent and child to have fun in the water, and letting parents guide their children in learning aquatic skills. At Sacramento’s Central Family YMCA, “the child is exposed to games that use basic movements in the water, such as kicking, arm strokes, and breath control.”
The preschool program (for children ages 3-Kindergarten) offers children their first experience in the pool without parental assistance. “The children are taught the basic skills that are the building blocks of swimming. They also learn about pool safety, boating safety and flotation devices.”
4 to 6 years

The American Red Cross begins formal lessons for children starting at about age four, although all levels are based on individual development. Diane Robinson says, “4-6 year olds can build basic water skills, learn body positions and practice arm and leg movements.” In the beginning, children are taught to fully submerge their faces, hold on to someone while they kick their feet, and float on their backs and fronts while supported by an instructor. They can also learn basic water safety rules and what to do in emergency situations, such as how to get to the side if they fall or jump in. Ann Cartolano says her five-year-old son Stephen, who has been swimming since he was three, “can jump in six feet of water and swim to the ladder on his own.” Sheryl Petersen, Recreation Services Manager with the Auburn Recreation District, adds “bobbing off the bottom of the pool moving towards the wall, pulling themselves from the pool, and being able to float on their backs” as among “the most important skills a child should learn.”

6 and up

Depending on the level of readiness, children at this age are taught to float unsupported, begin working on flutter kicks, and start using their arms and legs to propel themselves. “Ages 6 and up can improve upon their earlier skills and refine their strokes as they become developmentally able,” says Robinson. As they progress, kids will learn to tread water, push off the side, jump into deep water, and use different strokes, including back and front crawl, breast-, side- and butterfly.

A Few Words on Flotation Devices

Most swim safety experts ask parents to avoid using flotation devises, especially water wings or any plastic flotation devices that rely on air to keep kids afloat. Diane Robinson explains why: “Not only do they give that false sense of security,” since they can deflate or slip out of reach and are no substitute for strong skills, “but they also alter the body’s position in the water, making it harder to learn the correct swimming positions.” She adds that kids can also develop “a psychological attachment” to flotation devices, “believing that they can't and won’t swim without them.”

Scott Morris is also “not a big fan of flotation devices.” He explains that, like water training wheels, flotation devices are meant to be used only briefly and always with the goal of making students more independent. “At the school we use a few types of flotation assisting tools such as ‘noodles’ and ‘kickboards,’ but they are used to assist us in teaching skills to help the student learn to do things on their own.” Of course, flotation devices are also no substitute for careful supervision and calm, supportive parenting.

While safety is always our first concern as parents, Morris reminds people to “build up the lessons as a happy, fun thing to do… Don't tell the kids they are ‘going to learn to swim so they don't drown.’ Stay away from the negative.” Praise the little improvements in your child’s abilities and confidence and encourage them to have fun.

BASIC WATER SAFETY RULES
You and your child should keep these basic rules in mind whenever water is near:
• Never swim alone.
• Never let your child swim in any body of water without an adult watching.
• Anyone watching young children around a pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed.
• Stay within an arm's length of children still learning to swim.
• No running on the pool deck.
• Never dive into water except when permitted by an adult who knows the depth of the water and who has checked for underwater objects.
• Be wary of anything that floats, including rafts and blow up toys. They can deflate, flip over or come down on top of a child.
• Make sure pools are locked when nobody is around.
• Keep a life preserver and shepherd's hook in the pool area to help pull a child to the edge of the pool when necessary.
• Always use a life jacket when on a boat, fishing, or playing in a river or stream.
• Remove all toys from the pool after use so children aren't tempted to reach for them.

Dive in Deeper
If you’re looking for a local swimming class or more information on swimming skills and water safety, check out these websites:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/water.html – Find safety tips to keep in mind at the pool, beach and water park.

http://www.usa.safekids.org/water – Learn about their water safety campaign.

http://www.sacsierraredcross.org – Visit our local American Red Cross website, or go to redcross.org, click on Health and Safety Services, then Swimming and Lifeguarding for safety tips and a link to help you find aquatic schools in your area.

www.SacramentoParent.com –Get “10 Tips to Make the Most of your Child’s Swim Lessons.”