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Swimming lessons for children: what’s important?

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The earlier children can swim, the better. Knowing how to swim is the best protection against drowning accidents. And this is still the second most common type of fatal accident in childhood.

At what age should you learn to swim?

Basically, nobody is too young to learn to swim. The only important thing is that the child wants to learn. There is no clear age requirement for starting to learn to swim, as everyone is different. Some children are more skillful than others, while others may develop a fear of water. In Germany, swimming training – i.e. seahorse swimming courses – usually begins at the age of 5.

The main obstacle to learning to swim is actually the mind. The survival instinct warns you not to go into the water and especially not to submerge your head. This is why water familiarisation is essential for younger children: younger children can already actively play and practise in the water, especially if they are accompanied by adults who can already swim well. These activities help them to reduce their fears or prevent them from developing them in the first place.

Finding the right swimming course

Different swimming course providers offer different learning content and support concepts. But what criteria should actually be taken into account when choosing a swimming course? The following checklist should help you decide in favour of or against a swimming course.

  • Staff training: In Germany, the term “swimming instructor” is not protected, theoretically anyone can call themselves one. If you are unsure, ask to see the instructor’s training certificates.
  • Course duration: A swimming course for children should include at least ten hours of practice. 15 to 20 lessons are even better. Each session should last 30 to 45 minutes.
    Note: According to the DLRG, schools expect at least 30 lessons (45 minutes each) for an 8-year-old child until the child can swim safely.
  • Regularity: In order to achieve optimum learning success, the course should take place regularly, ideally at least once a week. Crash courses or holiday courses are also an option: the knowledge and skills are taught and required in a very compact form.
  • Course size: In most cases, a number of 6 to 8 children is ideal. There should not be more than ten children. This allows the swimming instructor to keep an overview and to support each child individually according to their strengths and weaknesses. In some courses with a larger number of children, there is also a second supervisor to provide the children with optimum support.
  • Swimming badges: Children are often motivated by the prospect of a badge. The first is the seahorse, an early swimmer’s certificate. Children proudly wear the fabric patch they have earned on their swimwear.
    Note: A seahorse does not mean that a child is a safe swimmer!
  • Swimming rules: In addition to practical swimming training, swimming rules should also be taught. What should you do before swimming? How do you behave in the water? The swimming rules do not have to be learnt by heart, it is much more important that the swimming rules and the meaning behind them are understood and thus protected from danger.
  • Trial lesson: Enquire about a trial lesson and accompany your child to their first swimming lesson. This is the best way to judge whether you trust the swimming instructor and whether your child feels comfortable.
  • Costs: The costs for a swimming course can vary greatly, but they are not decisive for the quality of the course. There are usually other costs in addition to the course fees, such as entry to the swimming pool. It is best to find out about current offers and prices directly from a course provider in your area.

When are you considered a safe swimmer?

According to the DLRG, you are only considered a safe swimmer if you have the bronze swimming badge or fulfil the disciplines for it:

  • Jump headfirst from the edge of the pool and swim for 15 minutes. During this time, at least 200 m must be covered, 150 m of which must be in the prone or supine position in a recognisable swimming style and 50 m in the other body position. The change of body position must take place while swimming on the swimming lane without holding on.
  • Approximately 2 metres deep diving from the water surface with retrieval of an object. This could be a small diving ring, for example.
  • A package jump – the so-called “arse bomb” – from the starting block or 1 meter board

This means that after an early swimmer course, you should complete another course: the so-called free swimmer course. This involves practising for the bronze badge.