Aqua Baby classes are designed to develop water skills and confidence, these adult accompanied classes are an early introduction to swimming for babies and children up to 3 years. The emphasis is on developing basic water skills, and introducing swimming through fun based activities. The classes are offered in Little Thetford, Nr Ely and The Windmill in Swavesey. which are both warm and nurturing. The lessons are in small groups of 4/6 swimmers with an accompanying adult. Aqua Baby sessions offer 20 minutes tuition and 10 minutes supervised free play.
My Aqua Babies lessons familiarise babies and their parents/carers to the joys of water. Teaching the basics of swimming including: feeling comfortable in the water, building confidence, exploring the aquatic environment to gain breath control, learn to gently submerge (you are your child will learn at your own pace and submersion practises are never forced), float independently on front and back, jump into the water and return to the side. Learn to swim independently.
Our new 12 week term commences September 10th 2018 and is offered at Witchford and Chatteris.
My Aqua Babies Awards 1 – 4
Aqua Babies award 1
- Enter the water safely with adult assistance
- Introduction to swim dips
- Adult and baby comfortable in the water and engaging in eye contact
- Support baby on the front and move freely around the pool
- Support baby on back in a floating position
- Moving freely around the pool supporting baby on the back
- Side support baby and encourage reaching towards a toy
- Encourage baby to wash and splash their face with water
- Forward entry into the water from a sitting position – adult assistance
- Early cues and bubble blowing
- Exit the pool safely
Aqua Babies Award 2
- Baby enters the water safely from a sitting position with adult support
- Encourage baby to hold on to poolside
- Travel on the back with parent/adult assisting an alternating leg kick
- Adult hold baby in a seated position, baby kicks ball (reverse kicking)
- Support baby on the front and move freely around the pool encouraging bubble blowing
- Rotate from front to back with assistance
- Hold baby facing you and submerge yourself for baby to see you
- Assisted forward push and glide with adult
- Move around the pool with big jumps and little jumps
- Duck dive into the water
- exit the pool safely
Aqua Babies Award 3
- Baby enters the water safely with or without assistance using the steps
- Encourage baby to move freely around the pool with the use of buoyancy aids
- Blow bubbles at the waters surface
- Support the baby by the hands and encourage and encourage movement in a snaking pattern through the water – aid’s may be used
- Support baby in a forward hold, encourage baby to move forward and grasp a toy then return with support in a back float position
- Place babies feet on the wall and push off into a glide – aid’s or assistance may be used
- Jump into water from a standing position with adult support
- Encourage baby to wash and splash their face with water independently
- Support baby facing you and submerge together
- Introduce baby and adult to tummy bands/aid’s
- Assisting and encouraging baby to hold onto poolside and climb out
Aqua Babies Award 4
- Baby/toddler enters the water with or without assistance from a sitting position using a swivel entry
- Encourage baby/toddler to move freely on the front with a continuous leg action
- Independently travel 5m on the from using arms and legs
- Float on the back for 5 seconds
- Encourage baby to move freely on the back with a continuous leg action
- Independently rotate 180 degrees vertically or horizontally
- Confidently submerge the face in the water and blow bubbles
- Push and glide on the back with minimal support
- Push and glide on the front with minimal support
- Jump into the water from a standing position with or without support