Did you know that drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for children 4 and under? Did you also know that swimming is a sport your budding athlete can enjoy their whole life? With both of these facts in mind, I recently enrolled my nine-year-old swim team competitor daughter and my two-year-old baby in lessons at Goldfish Swim School, and we couldn’t be happier
My nine-year-old is a member of Swim Force, Goldfish’s swim team for advanced swimmers. In Swim Force, kiddos get lots of individual attention from their coaches on stroke refinement, as well as on the basics of competitive swimming like entering the water and doing flip turns. They swim freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, and not only do they work on each stroke individually, but they also swim individual medleys of all the strokes. Swim Force even features swim meets for its team members. I know that this class will make my daughter a more competitive club swimmer, and she absolutely loves the encouraging coaches, the warm water, and the fun games!
On the other end of the spectrum, my toddler is a brand new swimmer, and she and I are taking a mini class together. At Goldfish, the 30-minute Mini 2 class is for kiddos between 16-35 months who need to swim with their grown ups with them in the water. There is also a Mini 1 class for ages 4 months-15 months, and a Mini 3 class for babies ages 24-36 months who can swim independently (cross your fingers that my baby graduates to this level, and I can enjoy watching her LOL).
We both adore the fun teacher, the engaging pool toys (fish mats! Bubbles the Goldfish! a FLOATING SLIDE!), the delightfully warm water, and the 1:1 time we get to spend together in class. I also love that my toddler is learning how to climb out of the pool, get comfortable with water in her ears and on her head, and listen and follow directions when she’s near the water.
Goldfish Swim School offers year-round swim instruction for children from four months old to 12 years old, with specially designed lessons for infant and toddler swimming. Classes are offered by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly and fun environment using a research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay®. The Science of SwimPlay® Curriculum is focused on teaching swim and safety skills while building character through guided play.
5 Water Safety Tips to Keep Babies Safe In and Around Water
Drowning is the number one cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4, taking the lives of three children in the United States every day.
Install, Install, Install: Babies start to crawl around 6-10 months and walk around 8-12 months. Four-sided fences are a safe idea for children as they are natural explorers. According to the CDC, using a four-sided isolation fence reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83%. Also consider installing door and pool alarms to prevent kids from slipping outside unnoticed. - Remove Any Standing Water: Shallow water is still dangerous as children can drown in as little as one inch of water. Make sure baby/kiddie pools are flipped over and empty, buckets are upside down, bathtubs are drained, and toilet lids are closed and locked.
- Store Toys in Designated Area: Keeping toys in a body of water when not in-use can lead to a dangerous situation as infants may want to reach for them when adults aren’t around. Instead, have a designated bin or basket outside of the pool area.
- Bath-time Supervision is a Must: Bath-time is a year-round routine. Never leave a young infant alone in the bath, even for a moment. Babies can slip out of bath seats, fall out of baby tubs or tip into the water and drown in seconds.
- Talk to a Pediatrician to Learn When a Baby is Ready for Swim Lessons: As soon as your baby can hold their head up, they can start learning to swim. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies start swim lessons as young as age one, and promotes that formal swim lessons can decrease the risk of drowning by up to 88%.
Baby Swim Lessons for New Parents
As Baby Swim Lessons are a much-needed, but rarely talked about baby shower gift, expecting/new parents should add to every registry and baby wish list moving forward!
Goldfish Swim School Fitchburg is now offering H2Ohhh Baby gift cards to add to your registry or to surprise a friend or family with the gift of water safety. They can be purchased online or via phone. The Goldfish team can also help you create a custom swim bundle with other baby swim essentials
Location
2922 Hardrock Road, Fitchburg, WI
Goldfish Swim School Fitchburg
- Lessons are offered 6 days a week in the morning, afternoon and evenings.
- Indoor pool water + facility temperature is at 90 degrees to make swimming inviting and comfortable (shiver-free pool).
- View Customer Portal to review class schedule and register or call (608) 807-4949
- Visit website to learn more about Mini classes.
