How young should I start my child on swim lessons?

The perfect age to start swim lessons is 1 1/2 to 2 years old. This is a good time because your child's language and motor skills are just starting to develop enough to where they will be able to move around in the pool and really get ahead. If you start your child before 2 years, the swim instructor is basically making sure that your child is comfortable in the water. This is very beneficial for the following years' swim lessons, because they will not take as much time to be comfortable in the water and with the instructor. 

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Does Cooksey's "drown-proof" infants?

Cooksey's does not believe in "drown-proofing" babies. We firmly believe in getting kids comfortable in the water at a very young age, but safely and at a pace ghat does not get them terrified of the water. We have found on multiple accounts that children that are put in a "drown-proofing" class are very cautious of the water when their parents try to get them back into it with regular swim lessons. We also believe that it gives parents a false sense of security with their babies around bodies of water; all kids should be closely monitored while in the water at all times, whether pool-safe or not. 

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How many times a week should I schedule swim lessons?

We recommend two times a week for kids to have a really productive summer in the water, although the more frequent the better they do. We find with smaller kids 2-4 yrs. The more the merrier. They will learn a lot over the summer, and since they are swimming almost everyday there is no getting comfortable time wasted from one week to the next. For 5+, we find that the best is 2-3 times a week. This is so the kids do not get too tired fo doing swim lessons, but still have enough each week to really learn and get ahead. 

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How long until I see results?

Within 10 swim lessons you should be seeing results. Just remember that each kid is completely different, has different abilities, and works at a different pace. Once you begin swim lessons with a kid that is afraid of the water, you do not want to stop. This is commonly a hard situation for parents, but the instructors will be there to talk you through it and give you advice. Remember: they are the experts! They know how to get your kid comfortable in the water. 

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Should I be there with my kids while they swim?

We do not suggest that you are in the new swimmer's eye sight until they are completely comfortable with the instructor. If a parent is watching, we highly suggest to have the swim instructor the only one interacting with them. This is because having parents there when children are fussy and scared of the water will only pull their attention away from the swim instructor and toward the parent. The child will learn a lot faster if they are with the instructor one on one. The only time we say it is beneficial is with kids under 2, during a parent and me lesson. Having the parents in the pool when kids are so young is beneficial because the parents understand the kids, and the parent helps the kids get comfortable with someone new.