How old were your children when they started? Where did you go for the lessons? How did you find the place or instructor? About how much is average cost for lessons now?

We've been thinking of taking our son for swim lessons, and, being new to all of this, we're not sure how to go about it. I automatically thought about the Y, but discovered that we have to get up at 3 am to be there at 4am to sign up at 530am. Is this typical?

Any help is appreciated.

By Jackie on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 05:10 pm:

Wow, that sounds crazy. My older 2 kids have taken swim lessons at the local rec center. Now that we belong to the JCC(Just like the YMCA). I have enrolled my youngest two in swim lessons, they start in 2 weeks. Faith(will be 4 in August)has never had lessons, so it will all be knew. Elizabeth is turning 9 and has swim lessons, not for a few yrs. So hopefully she will improve more.
We didnt have to get up early. I saw the flyer they had at the JCC for swim lessons. I took it home and talked with my husband about it. The next day when I was there to work out, I just paid and signed them up.

All my kids were 4 when they started swim lessons.

By Jackie on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 05:11 pm:

Oops sorry I didnt state the price. I am paying $56 per child and that is 8 lessons, which last 45 minutes.

By Tarable on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 05:14 pm:

I know that our city pool has swim lessons starting at a pretty early age (1 or maybe younger). As for cost it was so long ago I don't remember. Also our local YMCA has lessons year around in the indoor pool.

My girls started at about 3 and 5.. I think I waited a little too long for oldest... I would do 4 or maybe 3 if I had to do it again. (also my kid's birthday's are in Nov so they were 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 when they took them during the summer.

But my girls have always been little fish.

By Tarable on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 05:16 pm:

Oh and I don't do anything but sleep at 5:30 and I remember signing them up after work or on my lunch break... and the lessons were in the evening around 6...

By Debbie on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 06:22 pm:

My dks both went to a swim school when they first started. It was an indoor facility that offered lessons all year long. It was recommended by a friend. I liked it because they had a very small teacher to student ratio. There were no more then 4 kids in a class with the younger ones. I want to say my oldest was 4, and my youngest was 3 when they started. It was a long time ago, so I don't remember the cost.

I think it is crazy that you have to get up that early to sign up for swim lessons. When we moved up to Chicago we did summer lessons through the park and rec department, there were no swim schools around us. In the spring, I would get a catalog of what classes were offered, and then I would send in my preference for classes. They then sent me my confirmation of when their class times were.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - 09:59 pm:

LOL - Just had a post about this on another thread.

Natalie just finished private lessons at the local swim club. It was $50 for 5 lessons. We didn't consider the Y here because the chlorine is SO terribly high and it's an uncomfortable environment in there. If we had a nicer Y, we would have gone there instead. I was told that 4 is the best age to start, which is why we waited.