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Engagement at a Sharks level  One of our philosophies here at Aqautots is swimming for life and we want your swimmer to have a life long love of the water. Swimming can be a long journey for some swimmers as everyone learns at different rates so we want to keep your child interested and excited about coming swimming for as many years as it takes to confidently say they are safe in the water. Here are a few tips to help with this: 1. Ask your child what they are working in there lessons. If they are finding a skill difficult, find out how you can help them to succeed with that particular skill. It may be more swimming time, booking them into a holiday program so they have more opportunities to practice that skill or giving them the time to talk through the skill with either yourself, the instructor or the on deck supervisor (our on deck supervisors have many years of teaching experience behind them) who will have some tips for your swimmer to help them achieve their goals. 2. Your interest in your child's swimming will also help keep them motivated to come back to the pool every week. Your encouragement means a lot to them so while it's great to have that swimming time to catch up on your emails or doing a spot of online shopping (we all love that!) take the time to watch your child's swimming lessons so you have an idea of what there learning and how they are feeling about it. Children can get disheartened and frustrated when they seem stuck on a particular skills so keep the communication open with your child and if your not sure how to deal with the situation please don't hesitate to ask for advice from your on deck supervisor. We want your child to be succeeding at swimming so we're always here to help. 3. We want you and your swimmer to have a good experience with us at Aquatots so a few things may need to be factored into this to keep swimming exciting and fun. The first is making sure your child is enjoying the lesson. This may be because they really like the instructor who is taking that class or they may have made friends with some children in the class or that time and day is best for them because they are fresh at this time. If these factors makes your child happy and wanting to come to swimming each week then factor this into your decisions when you change your child's booking to a different time, day or pool. If you change and they are not happy you may find it difficult to get back into that class with the same swimmers and instructor which may see your swimmer loose interest. 4. Always stay positive about the swimming experience. The best outcome for our whole swim school is that everyone is happy and working towards a common goal of learning how to swim. By having a positive and challenging environment to do this in everyone can blossom to his or her full potential. We ask that you help us to gain this type of environment by letting us know if we can help you or your swimmer in any way. 5. If your child is struggling with gaining technique at this level it is a great time to look at their swim wear. Long board shorts, rash shirts and suits will drag in the water and restrict movements required for technical swimming. In squad levels children are expected to wear regular swim wear for their training sessions so starting earlier in Sharks levels will prepare them and make gaining technical strokes easier for your child. 6. Ensure you give them a chance to see what their swimming skills can do for them. Encourage participation in water sports and swimming carnivals. Most kids at this level will surprise themselves with their swimming ability compared to others around the same age. Watch professional water sports or mini clips on swimming technique so kids can get a visual on what is required, how to get there and what the outcome of them gaining the skills can lead to.
04 Dec, 2023
At Aquatots we understand that each child is different and will make their own learn to swim journey. To help them on their way we offer fun and engaging classes with qualified instructors and a program with proven results. If your child is starting their learn to swim journey at the age of three years or older you must understand that an aquatic environment is going to be a scary, unfamiliar environment for them to start with. You will, in the beginning be handing them over to a stranger as this is what their instructor will be until they build a rapport so expect an adjustment period. The Aquatots team is trained to encourage children to swim in their own time and children are never forced to perform skills they are not ready for. Our gentle guiding method is very successful with chidlren starting their swim progression in the pre school program. By allowing your child to explore and encouraging them to progress through gentle guidance we end up with comfortable, confident swimmers. With our small group classes children get the individual attention that they need. Below are a few tips on how you can make your child's first class a success:  Talk about the class with your child prior to their start date. If possible find out their instructors name so you can relay this information and create familiarity Wear your swimmers underneath but do not tell your child you have them (they may surprise you). If your child needs you in the water for the first few lessons to start their relationship with their instructor we welcome parents into the pre school classes Be attentive of your child in the class but try not to hover if they are making progress towards getting in on their own Turn up a bit before the class starts to be ready on time and not rushed. The more relaxed you can make the experience the more relaxed your child will be Bring a familiar toy from home they can show their instructor, this toy can be a water toy to take in the pool with them Be sure to praise your child for their efforts after each class no matter how small the progression may seem to you A great way to get a fast progression toward becoming comfortable in and around an aquatic environment is more swimming time during the week. If you have the chance, attend the pool outside of your child's lesson time to practice and have a bit of fun. Use of the pool during public hours for the immediate family to the child enrolled is free of charge. If your child is starting in the under three program there are also some things you can do to try and help your little one have a successful first class. Be aware your child will pick up quickly on how you are feeling, ensure you are relaxed and in the right frame of mind to attend the class calmly Smile often and praise your child for the efforts they are making, if you are having fun they will relax and have fun Turn up with enough time for you to get changed and allow your child to take in the surroundings Understand that your child may get tired quickly. Best to have a short happy lesson until your babies stamina builds up A fed, alert baby will always be a little happier and more willing than one that is tired and hungry Ensure you listen to your instructor, they are fully qualified and have years of experience with baby learn to swim classes If this is your child's first time in the water or in classes, sometimes it is best to have the primary carer in the water for the first few lessons until your baby is settled and comfortable Always understand that there is someone there to help. The amazing team at Aquatots have been chosen beacause they are the best of the best and are always willing to go the extra mile. If you are unsure please ask, if you need help please ask, or if you have any questions please feel free to ask. We look forward to making your child's time in and around the water a fun and enjoyable experience.
04 Dec, 2023
Swimming through winter is a crucial part of your child's progression to becoming safer in and around an aquatic environment. We understand that parents can sometimes find it hard to continue or have heard that swimming through the cooler months will make your child sick. As long as the pool where your child learns has warm water and heats the air temperature there should be no reason why a child should stop their progression Aquatots has a few tips on why and how you can continue ensuring your child has continuation of this life saving skill WHY? Swimming through winter will ensure your child continues to build on their swimming skills and are prepared for the warmer weather. Unfortunately drowning does not discriminate between the seasons and if you think its cold here always remember children in Sweden also learn to swim. Swimming through winter will mean your child secures their position in the program for warmer months and are ready for summer swimming Another crucial reason to try and continue your child swimming through winter will be their growth. When a child grows their center of buoyancy will change and if they have stopped the progression they will need to relearn their center of buoyancy. This will put some children back a few steps and will make them feel uneasy or awkward in the water, as they will be unbalanced for a while. If a child continues to swim through this period the adjustment period is much quicker as it is a continuation rather than a relearn. Strengthening immunity Swimming also builds your child's immune system and strengthens their body and lungs meaning if your child is to get sick their healthy body will reduce the recovery time and number of times they will get sick through the cooler months. Children and babies unfortunately will get sick from other sick people. To help them fight off these nasty bugs Aquatots recommends Ensuring your child has a well rounded diet and enough sleep Keep yourself healthy Dress your child (and yourself) completely before exiting the buildings. This includes warm hats and shoes Add a probiotic to your child's daily diet Continue to be active throughout the cooler months. Exercise promotes healthy bodies and healthy minds Flu shots might be an option for children old enough and parents to ward off most of the nasty ones Dry skin, eczema & other skin problems Dry skin and eczema can flare up through the cooler months due to heating and other environmental factors. Our recommendation to assist with this would be Ensure you put a barrier cream on your child before they enter the water Once your class has finished rinse and wash your child in Luke warm water with non soap products Re cream your child with quality cream or oil. We suggest coconut oil, moo goo or itchy baby products. . Please also remember to cream your baby/child before they go to bed each night as this is when moisturiser is best absorbed Wash your child's (& your own) swim wear regularly to avoid bacteria breading on the material To avoid the spread or chance of spreading some skin conditions it is important to use your own clean towel. Do not share towels
04 Dec, 2023
Progressing to the next level of swimming can be an exciting time for children and parents. For some of the classes there are differences between what they have been doing and what they will be expected to do in the higher level. It is important you talk to your child about what's going on and how well they are doing with their swimming, this means they will be moving into a higher level to learn new things. Explain to them that they are in the new level to learn new skills and are not expected to know how to do the skills straight away. The best thing about the Aquatots program is we touch on all strokes throughout the complete program which means that a strong foundation has already been put in to place to help children with the new expectations of the level. Below are a few differences that you may come across from level to level or program to program. JELLY FISH to SEA HORSE Around the age of three your child will be assessed for their readiness to graduate into the Sea Horse program. To be ready your child needs to be happy to go with their instructor, follows simple instructions and can understand to wait for their turn.  Once they are ready to progress they will be placed in a transition class with their Jelly Fish instructor. This class does not require a parent or gaurdian in the water any longer but we do recommend you bring your swimmers just in case. Having your child attend their first Sea Horse classes with a familiar instructor will help your child with their transition into the Sea Horse program. Your child will spend a maximum of 3 lessons. If your child transitions well and is ready to move into a Sea Horse class this will be done. To transition well children need to be able to wait their turn, follow instructions and be comfortable to stay with the instructor in the assigned area. We recommend that children view a class in progress to help with the transition. Sea Horse classes do not require a parent/guardian in the water for the class. We do recommend you come prepared for the first couple of lessons ready to get in as parents are welcome to assist until your child is comfortable in the new class The class size for the Sea Horse 1 & 2 classes are 3 kids to one instructor, Sea Horse 3 & 4 there are 4 kids per one instructor Your child will receive a medal a certificate and an Aquatots cap for graduating Swim caps must be worn in the Sea Horse program (and above)
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