Toddlers are at an age where their own mobility, ability to communicate and to express themselves combine to play a vital part in their swimming journey.
The pool is a classroom and a playground where toddlers are encouraged by parents and tutors to explore and express themselves, through games, songs, challenges and toys all the while developing their water skills and safety instincts at their own pace.
As the programme progresses, basic skills are nurtured and formal swimming skills begin to emerge.
Your Toddler embarks on a true learn-to-swim journey in which their emerging voice and self expression play a vital role. With your reassurance and encouragement a little swimmer’s self-belief and water independence grows to become natural water confidence, a set of safety skills and a sense of enjoyment that will last a lifetime.
Active & Healthy Little Bodies and Minds
Learning to swim provides a rich developmental environment for your little one - a mental and physical workout that engages their growing mind and body on new things. Floating, bobbing, splashing and the pool environment itself are all highly stimulating, feeding a toddler’s sensory and cognitive development, motor skills and balance. It even aids a healthy appetite and improves sleeping patterns.Child Led for
Confidence & Safety
It’s a big one - a parents sense of fear for our little ones around water. At Swimtastic we use child-led learning because we know its not just learning saftey skills thats important but also how they are learned. When feeling safe, a toddler will become more confident in learning through self initiation and self pacing. By not forcing or pressuring them, we minimise the risk of any adverse reactions or experiences. No bad memories. No triggers for upset or panic. Rather they grow in confidence, respect and know-how for the water naturally until it becomes second nature.
Learning to Swim Together
Toddlers have a lot going on. They are learning sponges; moving about themselves, using language, expressing opinion, developing likes, dislikes and favourites. As little individuals, at Swimtastic we ensure that their voice and opinions matter. Teachers get to know each student so lesson activities can be adapted just right. Our child led learning approach ensures they are self-paced and happy while learning and a fun filled social environment encourages their participation. Beside them all the way is their trusted safety device - you their parent - providing encouragement, sharing and celebrating their wins. It’s a fantastic bonding experience for you both.
A Classroom and Playground
This is a combined classroom and playground unlike any other where children not only build their water knowledge, instincts and safety skills in a safe environment but also learn personal behavioural and social skills that will stand to them throughout their lives. Song, dance, toys, taking turns and responding to peers all contribute to a shared and enjoyed social experience. Our teachers continuously adapt activities to suit each child's needs and personality, listening and encouraging self initiation and participation to ensure they learn by doing.
Always Making Progress
Unlike casual parent and toddler swim lessons, we go much further than repeating routines in a pool. Our programme is designed for progressive child-led learning, in which toddlers build upon their learning and abilities constantly, at their own pace, safely imitating parents and peers though trial and error. Progression levels are used so that class material is always suitable to all the parent and toddler couples attending. The programme also seamlessly progresses into ‘parent and pre-schooler swimming (ages 2.5 to 5 years ) for a new phase of learning.
The Best Teachers Right Beside You
Naturally our teachers are trained and certified to the highest standards. But more importantly, Swimtastic teachers are kind, friendly and empathic people and have lots of experience with children of all ages. They listen, they pre-empt and they understand toddlers’ emerging personalities children’s individuality and help bring the best out of them. During class, the instructor stays in the water, controlling the fun, providing support and encouragement while getting to everyone, more and more, week on week.
Relax and Enjoy
At each lesson we want you and your child to feel completely comfortable and safe so learning to swim is your only concern. Our pools are warm and clean and our teachers are friendly, welcoming and understanding. You’ll receive any information you need well in advance of a lesson but we’re always happy to talk, so feel free to contact our office or your class teacher. Classes are small, children are all of a similar age and things are kept at a relaxed and enjoyable pace. No one is ever pushed or made to do anything they aren’t comfortable with or ready for. This is a stress free environment where you and your child get to meet other parents and children just like you!
The Swim School Advantage
As independent swim school - we don’t book end swimming tuition with start and end ages. We’ve designed things so your child’s swim journey can flow from ‘parent and toddler’ through ‘parent and pre-schooler’ and then onto our junior academy (ages 5 to 13) laying foundations for olympic gold... :) Our customers are treated as ‘members’ and get priority offers on next term places. Customers have their own online members area, accessible 24/7, which centralises all your families swimming information. We work with families to try keep siblings class times similar. We’ll constantly keep you updated and informed. We are at the other end of a phone line - happy to help with anything. In short we try to make things as seamless for you as possible so you and family can concentrate on enjoyment and learning.
Classes involve play activities and song, in sequence using toys and props. They’re fun and light-hearted, but professionally designed to develop your little one’s water confidence and skills.
At the pool
Each weekly session lasts 30 minutes but please allow time in your schedule for changing before and after.
Groups are small and capped at 9 parent and child couples. After your 30-minute session – we ask parent and child couples to vacate the pool to accommodate the next group.
What do I bring?
Swimwear for parent and toddler is all that is required. We provide all additional materials and toys. We provide you with a full list of how to prepare well in advance.
Course Breakdown
Each course consists of 9 weekly sessions. Sometimes the 9 weeks are broken by breaks for holidays.
We run 4 courses (4 terms) per calendar year
Follow on Courses
At the end of each term, swimmers will be offered priority places in the following term you are progressing into before bookings open to the public - These offers stay active for 2-5 days during which time you can secure your place through your user account.
Certificates
After completing a course a personalised certificate of completion for the little swimmer can be accessed and downloaded from your swimtastic user account.
Swimtastic User Account
If you are a new customer, we will ask you to set up a user account. A user account is necessary to book a course. Once created you can use it to see course attendance and progression, purchase history, certificates and more.
Attendees
When booking a new course, we will collect all the details of those attending the course.
Booking more than 1 course
It’s easy book more than one course. Just go through the process and after you add a course to your cart, you’ll be asked if you’d like to book another.
Follow on Course Offers
To avail of a priority place offer in the next term you must book it through your user account within the specified time to secure your place.
Delivered through play and song, the courses are centred around physical, sensory, and cognitive development, using numbers, colours, animals, sights and sounds to encourage swimming activities and movement through the water with toys.
For children that are ready, they will begin to make strides on their front and back – supported by Mum or Dad and their teacher.
Independent water safety activities are also introduced, how to get in and out of the pool, how to hold on to supports and how to be buoyant and confident in water.
When the toddler is ready, we introduce and encourage independent movement and support, enticing them to move away a little on their own.
Courses Available for Parent & Toddler:
Toddler Level 1 - joining aged between 1 year old to 2.5 year old
Toddler Level 2 - the follow on course to build on level 1.
Toddler Level 3 – the follow on course to build on level 2.
Toddler Level 4 - final toddler course preparing for pre-school levels.
As skills build with each level of the curriculum it is important that each little student has met certain criteria so that he or she can progress to the next course level safely.
Great fun for the kids and a fantastic way to introduce our 3 boys; William, John and Andrew to the water. The highlight of the week for them. I can’t recommend these lessons highly enough. The teachers are fantastic with the kids and totally put them at ease in the water. We are five years with Swimtastic and have enjoyed every moment.
Our 2 year old just graduated from the Baby levels and is moving on to Pre-school. We just can’t praise the teachers and the class highly enough. The format is fun but the progression from day one is steady and brilliantly put together. Can’t wait for the next level. 100% recommend Swimtastic for a great experience and great fun along the way.
We have been with Swimtastic for five years. Marissa and I progressed through the Adult programme and our children, Ella and Daniel are in the children’s programme since they were infants. We look forward to our lessons every week, the programmes are great fun, and we have learned to enjoy the water with confidence. The teachers and office staff are lovely people.
All our courses have been professionally and especially designed by the Swimtastic team. Our courses have the approval of our affiliates; Swim Ireland, STA (UK) and Birthlight.
At Swimtastic we pride ourselves on providing swimming programmes for all ages and abilities.
