Take pleasure in your baby’s first aquatic experience in the warm soothing waters of the leisure pool.
We believe that positive early learning experiences will lead to a child's life long love of water. Our dedicated and experienced staff will gently nurture you and your precious infant through a memorable 30 minute class, with up to eight babies per class. A strong emphasis is placed on ensuring both you and your child are instructed on how to be water wise and safe in and around the water. Water familiarisation classes at the centre encourage you to praise, reassure and applaud your baby's natural curiosity.
Through play and song, babies kick and float, exploring the water's buoyancy which acts like an invisible helping hand.
Baby age groups
Little Water Bubs: 3 - 6 months
Baby 1: 6 - 12 months
Baby 2: 12 - 18 months
(please note, an adult is required to be in the water with the child for the duration of the lesson)
Tots age groups
Tots 1: 18 - 24 months
Tots 2: 24 - 36 months
Tots 3: First time swimmers turning three years within the booked term
(please note, an adult is required to be in the water with the child for the duration of the lesson)
For more information or to enrol in our Baby and Tots program, please call the Swim School office at Cannington on 6350 7300 or at Riverton on 9231 0900, or email.
Program
Your infant's aquatic program provides a balanced and comprehensive aquatic experience. Our experienced AUSTSWIM trained Infant Instructors will allow both parents and infants the opportunity to share in the pleasures that only water can bring. Parents will be guided through activities that develop water familiarisation, exploration and most importantly, water safety skills.
Skills are introduced gradually and never forced on crying babies. Infants acquire skills at their own rate and we will never push them beyond their ability. Happy, confident babies are the rule!
Canning Swim School's Baby program is committed to facilitating lifelong swimming skills. Our classes focus on all aspects of water safety:
1. Supervise: Always keep watch of your child and be within arm's reach around water.
2. Prevent: Your child's unsupervised access to water at all times.
3. Learn: Teach your child to be water confident. (Swimming lessons do not replace supervision. They provide essential skills which may prevent your child from drowning.)
4. Respond: Learn CPR and call 000 in an emergency.
Benefits of swimming for infants and toddlers
Introducing your child to swimming lessons at an early age creates many physical and social benefits:
- Great exercise - improves cardiovascular fitness and helps develop muscles, strength, heart and lungs
- Improves coordination - activities in lessons develop motor skills and balance
- Self confidence - confidence to learn and achieve increase as their skills develop
- Better sleeping and eating patterns - exercise stimulates the appetite and the excitement and energy in the class result in babies who sleep and eat better on lesson days
Helpful hints
- Please wait for instructions from your teacher before entering and exiting the water .
- For classes in the Riverton Leisureplex Program Pool, access is allowed 10 minutes prior to your lesson, which allows time to change your baby.
- We do not recommend feeding your baby immediately prior to your swimming lesson.
- Health regulations prevent babies from entering the spa due to high water temperatures.
- Swimwear can be a swim nappy or bathers that are tightly fitting around the leg. Suitable swimwear is available for purchase from reception.
- Please do not remove swimwear in the water. Always dispose of wet nappies in the bins provided.
- If a toileting accident occurs, infants should be immediately removed from the water and thoroughly washed before returning to their lesson.
- Please do not swim if your baby is unwell.
- Your teacher will educate you on the safe practices of submersions. Please do not continually submerge your infant as this can lead to hyponatremia (water intoxication). Submersions are only done when an infant shows signs of "readiness".
- Young infants may not shiver when they are cold. Signs that may indicate your baby is cold include: loss of body colour, unsettled behaviour, lack of interest, lethargy and tiredness.
- Praise your infant for attempting a task even if the task was not performed perfectly. This will boost their confidence and encourage trying new activities.
- During Safety Week you get the chance to practice a water safety swim and reach rescue.
- Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your swimming lessons!