Bringing your baby along to our swimming lessons is one of the most amazing bonding experiences parents and baby can share together!
How early can my baby start?
We are often asked this!
- Babies can be taken swimming from birth – they do not need to have their injections first
- Mums should wait until they feel ready after giving birth but if you are keen to get your little one started this is a perfect bonding opportunity for Dad or a grandparent!
Babies have a real affinity with water. They spend nine months in the womb, and many expectant mothers choose a water birth as the most natural introduction to this world. Water is recognised as a warm, supportive environment during labour and provides a natural transition for your baby from the womb to the “outside world”.
What are the benefits of baby swimming?
The benefits to both parent and baby of swimming together are immense:
- Plenty of eye contact
- Plenty of skin contact – it’s a wonderful way to bond with your baby
- Helping you and your baby feel relaxed and confident in the water
- Makes swimming a fun and socially stimulating activity (for both you and your baby!)
- Even parents who can’t swim can enjoy relaxing in the water with their baby
There are further benefits too, especially if you join a fun, progressive programme like Puddle Ducks:
- It is the only time your baby can be completely independent (when experiencing gentle submersions)
- Only in the water, can a baby move freely and develop actions they wouldn’t otherwise be able to in their first year of life. This gives “swimming babies” the opportunity to develop crucial higher brain functions, core muscle development and co-ordination far earlier than they would otherwise be able to
- The classes provide a complete physical work-out: strengthening your baby’s heart, lungs and respiratory system, which again aids development of the brain
- Regular swimming often improves eating and sleeping patterns
- Learning to respond to key words can make your baby sharper mentally, increasing levels of awareness and understanding as well as improve communication between you
- Encouraging a baby to take regular exercise from such a young age is also an extremely healthy routine to instil which may prevent childhood lethargy
- Coming to classes often provides a parent with the necessary support to enable them to relax and enjoy the experience. Our teachers are trained to understand the needs of both parent and baby, and are also qualified in lifesaving and resuscitation skills.
Our Classes
Our swimming classes are full of carefully designed but simple activities, gentle submersions and are packed full of songs. These songs and rhymes provide gentle stimulation and are the most effective way to communicate with your baby. Repetition is fun, reassuring and promotes learning.
Nicola Wilson, franchisee at Puddle Ducks Lincolnshire, states: “Our programme allows our babies, even at this early age, to make choices about how and when they put their faces in the water.
Floaties will experience the water’s movement around their body in different ways, float on their back and front, and become at ease in the water – nurturing their natural affinity and building confidence to instil a love of water for the rest of their life.”
Puddle Ducks Lincolnshire run Floaties session for 0-9 month old babies in the following locations:
Lincoln
– Haddington (private pool)
– Queens Park Community Hub, South Park
– Burton (private pool)
Grantham
– Belton Woods Hotel
– Choices Grantham
Bourne
– Private pool
Woodhall Spa
– Bucknall (Private pool)
Edwinstowe
– South Forest Leisure Complex
Lincs Kids members receive a 20%* discount on their first booking by quoting LINCSKIDS20
*(Floaties classes only, all other programmes receive a 10% discount with code LINCSKIDS10).
To see days, times, availability and to book in, please click here to visit our website.
