Your Baby Can Swim! Programme

The 'Your Baby Can Swim!' Programme is a series of structured lessons divided into 2 progressive levels for parents of babies from around 3 to 12 months.

Your Baby Can Swim! Part 1 – Foundation Level is a parent-child programme of movement in water under expert guidance in warm (about 32 deg C), waist/ shoulder depth water. It is taught in groups in a playful atmosphere. Lessons are aimed at teaching parents how to understand their and their baby’s behaviour in the water, on secure holding grips and exercises for stimulating spontaneous movement while encouraging buoyancy and the natural reflexes that will hopefully develop into swimming.

You will be introduced to many of the techniques you'll need to effectively teach your child early swimming skills, to be water confident and water safe. The Parent-Infant bond is established as you learn to support and partner your baby in the water and your baby's natural swimming reflexes are built on and strengthened. The different activities and exercises practised are designed to aid motor control and physical development in a happy and relaxed environment. By the end of the programme I hope that you will feel confident enough to practise the techniques you've learned so that family time in the pool can be fun as well as constructive learning. We will work on your confidence with baby until you are happy and relaxed with practising the techniques and that you progress onwards with a happy and water confident baby too! Though not always necessary, the programme can be repeated until you are both happy and confident to move on.

You can participate in "Your Baby Can Swim!  Foundation Level", at any of the venues and times listed below:

Carrickfergus Amphitheatre: Mondays @ 14:00 – 14:30 (temporary second Foundation class also available 14:30 - 15:00)

Larne Leisure Centre: Wednesdays @ 10:00 – 10:30 (temporary second Foundation class also available 10:30 - 11:00)

Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena: Fridays @ 12:30 – 13:00

Your Baby Can Swim! Part 2 – Improver Level. Once you feel you have both successfully completed the Foundation programme, you are encouraged to continue to progress your and your infant's skill and confidence in the water. During this programme you'll be introduced to more advanced water safety and early swimming techniques. Your child is ready to enjoy the activities in this class once they can raise their upper body during tummy time using their hands or forearms. This is typically around 4 months but can be a little earlier or later just depending on your baby’s natural development. We will concentrate on 5 of the basic skills and techniques needed for swimming including independence and breath control. We will work on improving your baby’s core strength and develop an effective kick.

You can participate in "Your Baby Can Swim!  Improver Level", at any of the venues and times listed below:

Carrickfergus Amphitheatre: Mondays @ 14:30 – 15:00

Larne Leisure Centre: Wednesdays @ 11:00 – 11:30

Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena: Fridays @ 13:00 – 13:30