Swimming with Baba Seahorse
Class size
Our classes are usually between 7-10 parent/baby pairs, or classes of up to 6 for beginner children. Our classes take place in warm pools. Babies and children of non-swimmers can progress at the same rate as those children of families that can swim. For parent/baby classes, both parents are welcome at certain venues only, however this is subject to space only, and is not guaranteed so please ask us first. Beginner Classes for children without the parent are held on Saturday mornings only at Holy Trinity School in Kidderminster.
Children are individual with differing developmental stages
We welcome the fact that each child is an individual and, although our lessons have an overall goal, we appreciate that sometimes your little one may have other life stages to consolidate too. There is a lot of growing to do in the first year of baby's life, and the 'vocal and personalities' stage tends to emerge from around 13-18 months to between 3 years old. Whatever is taking place on dry land may come through in the class and we try to facilitate teaching for the gentle souls to develop at their own pace and to help the more eager children to focus. For example, different stages could be teething; learning to sit up, to crawl, to walk, to talk; starting a new nursery; a new brother or sister; the parent forgetting to have fun too; just moved house or a new child has joined the class. We follow this principle throughout all classes and encourage all children to learn confidence, whether they swim with their parent or not.
Safety and Games
We shall encourage activities that are relaxing and fun whilst at the same time developing your child's skill in the water. Where parents joint the class, the parent is important to the child's feeling of security in the water and you shall be shown how to hold children securely in the water and to enhance their feeling of well-being in the water. You shall accompany your child in their development and motivate them through play (and yes, we like to encourage playful, noisy songs and games) and movement exercises. These techniques will help you when you take your child to other pool activities and when you swim as a family, such as on holiday. Your safety is important and we also show you how to teach your child to learn to wait, and to enter the pool safely on the teacher's or your instruction only.
Reflex movements to conscious movements of arms and legs
Initially, a baby's swimming arms and legs movements are instinctive and reflex movements and it can appear that they are swimming. These reflexes can be stimulated as preparation for unaided swimming in the future from around the third year of life. It is based on encouraging the development of a newborn baby's natural swimming reflex in water into a conscious movement of the legs and arms. Our techniques help to substain and build the reflexes in younger babies to the natural development of voluntary arm and leg movements in the water, and then to your toddler swimming.
Conscious and alternating arms and legs
For older children, we shall be teaching them to make conscious and alternating arms and legs movements for themselves. If you take your child swimming from toddler age, the age they start to swim shall depend a lot on your child's confidence and being happy to let water on their face. We ask that you encourage and motivate your children as they will only swim if they move their arms and legs. They will learn to swim with a lovely body position if they are happy to put their face in the water.
Bonding
There is a feeling of love and security in the water and it is the best and most efficient foundation for the skills that will enable children to eventually swim and to become safe in the water. A baby is familiar with water as it was lodged safely in the waters of the womb and is one of the reasons why most babies have such a positive reaction from being in the water. Baby swimming consciously strengthens the parent-child relationship and through early contact with other babies of the same age will further your baby's development particularly in the personality, social and motor skills.
Special needs
Children with special needs can benefit from swimming as it can complimement physiotherapy (please always discuss your child's particular needs with your GP/teacher, submersions may not always be appropriate for every child). Babies that wear a hip harness also benefit greatly from unrestricted movement in water. Please note that although we can help with your child's swimming progressions, we are not experts in your child's specific needs and it may be helpful to have guidance from your paediatrician too.
Caesarean section
The classes offer gentle exercise and are particularly beneficial to mothers who have had a caesarean section (please obtain your doctor's approval first).
Our classes are usually between 7-10 parent/baby pairs, or classes of up to 6 for beginner children. Our classes take place in warm pools. Babies and children of non-swimmers can progress at the same rate as those children of families that can swim. For parent/baby classes, both parents are welcome at certain venues only, however this is subject to space only, and is not guaranteed so please ask us first. Beginner Classes for children without the parent are held on Saturday mornings only at Holy Trinity School in Kidderminster.
Children are individual with differing developmental stages
We welcome the fact that each child is an individual and, although our lessons have an overall goal, we appreciate that sometimes your little one may have other life stages to consolidate too. There is a lot of growing to do in the first year of baby's life, and the 'vocal and personalities' stage tends to emerge from around 13-18 months to between 3 years old. Whatever is taking place on dry land may come through in the class and we try to facilitate teaching for the gentle souls to develop at their own pace and to help the more eager children to focus. For example, different stages could be teething; learning to sit up, to crawl, to walk, to talk; starting a new nursery; a new brother or sister; the parent forgetting to have fun too; just moved house or a new child has joined the class. We follow this principle throughout all classes and encourage all children to learn confidence, whether they swim with their parent or not.
Safety and Games
We shall encourage activities that are relaxing and fun whilst at the same time developing your child's skill in the water. Where parents joint the class, the parent is important to the child's feeling of security in the water and you shall be shown how to hold children securely in the water and to enhance their feeling of well-being in the water. You shall accompany your child in their development and motivate them through play (and yes, we like to encourage playful, noisy songs and games) and movement exercises. These techniques will help you when you take your child to other pool activities and when you swim as a family, such as on holiday. Your safety is important and we also show you how to teach your child to learn to wait, and to enter the pool safely on the teacher's or your instruction only.
Reflex movements to conscious movements of arms and legs
Initially, a baby's swimming arms and legs movements are instinctive and reflex movements and it can appear that they are swimming. These reflexes can be stimulated as preparation for unaided swimming in the future from around the third year of life. It is based on encouraging the development of a newborn baby's natural swimming reflex in water into a conscious movement of the legs and arms. Our techniques help to substain and build the reflexes in younger babies to the natural development of voluntary arm and leg movements in the water, and then to your toddler swimming.
Conscious and alternating arms and legs
For older children, we shall be teaching them to make conscious and alternating arms and legs movements for themselves. If you take your child swimming from toddler age, the age they start to swim shall depend a lot on your child's confidence and being happy to let water on their face. We ask that you encourage and motivate your children as they will only swim if they move their arms and legs. They will learn to swim with a lovely body position if they are happy to put their face in the water.
Bonding
There is a feeling of love and security in the water and it is the best and most efficient foundation for the skills that will enable children to eventually swim and to become safe in the water. A baby is familiar with water as it was lodged safely in the waters of the womb and is one of the reasons why most babies have such a positive reaction from being in the water. Baby swimming consciously strengthens the parent-child relationship and through early contact with other babies of the same age will further your baby's development particularly in the personality, social and motor skills.
Special needs
Children with special needs can benefit from swimming as it can complimement physiotherapy (please always discuss your child's particular needs with your GP/teacher, submersions may not always be appropriate for every child). Babies that wear a hip harness also benefit greatly from unrestricted movement in water. Please note that although we can help with your child's swimming progressions, we are not experts in your child's specific needs and it may be helpful to have guidance from your paediatrician too.
Caesarean section
The classes offer gentle exercise and are particularly beneficial to mothers who have had a caesarean section (please obtain your doctor's approval first).