Parents - Enjoyable Swimming Lessons

1. Try to arrive relaxed and positive, especially if the experience of swimming lessons is new. Your child will feel calm and secure and lessons will be more successful.
2. Have a dress rehearsal at home so your child is used to swimwear and goggles.
3. Arrive early so you and your child can become acquainted with the surroundings and will not be flustered or rushed.
4. Toilet your child just prior to their lesson to avoid accidents and disruption during swimming lessons.
5. Goggles are a vital teaching aid at various stages of the learning process. They allow the child good vision and comfort underwater. It is great for children to have their own and arrive ready for class (nose piece and strap adjusted to their individual needs). Goggles can also be used for practice in between swmming lessons.
6. The wearing of bathing caps is strongly recommended to keep hair out of the eyes and mouth and allow goggles to slip on more easily. They also help enormously with filtration and therefore pool cleanliness. In some instances, they are compulsory to wear.
7. For their own safety, it is essential that children do not enter the pool before or after their scheduled swimming lesson times. This also reduces distractions to children in other classes.
8. Please stay back from the pool edge, while swimming lessons are in progress. It’s great to encourage your child, but try to leave the teaching and discipline to the swimming teacher.
9. Bring a suitable ‘hanky’ for wiping the inevitable runny nose. Please use the bins provided for disposal.
10. For safety and respect for other patrons, ensure your child walks and doesn’t run in the centre.
11. Be considerate of others, for example, if children are having a shower, make it brief so that other users are not inconvenienced.
12. Various Centres may produce additional guidelines that reflect specific venue and program considerations. They will be designed to further enhance the swimming lesson experience with due health, safety and educational points.

These guidelines have been produced from research by Therese Gage BHMS (Ed) from an ASCTA Community Service Grant. The research project was funded by the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association Inc., as a community service.

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