As we get closer to summer and warmer weather, more of us will be spending time with our kids in swimming pools or at the beach. Swim lessons and water readiness are critically important safety issues, not just in the summer, but all year round. Many parents don’t realize just how dangerous water can be for young kids. And honestly, their readiness for swim lessons is probably a lot earlier than most of us would ever expect.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a new policy statement, updating their recommendations to prevent young children drowning. And that includes swim lessons for even the youngest toddlers.
“Research has found that swim lessons are beneficial for children starting around age 1, and may lower drowning rates,” says Linda Quan, MD, FAAP, one of the co-authors of the policy statement.
It may seem weird to have your one-year-old in swim lessons, but experts say it’s important for kids to feel comfortable in the water at a young age.
While you may initially be hesitant, fearing that your little one is just too young, think about this. If you give your little one a supervised bath and they love splashing around, chances are, swim lessons will not be traumatizing.
Sure, there’s always a chance of a potty accident or meltdown in the pool, but the swim instructors are ready for that. They’ve seen it all before. You can look at the swimming pool and swim lessons like a bigger version of the bathtub, but this time, you’re intentionally getting wet.
DAVIDSON
Boost Aquatics
11 Vaughns Gap Road, Nashville
615-662-8989
Home of Nashville’s only indoor/outdoor heated saltwater, six-lane, Olympic-sized pool, Boost offers private and group swim lessons for kids of all ages in one-, four-, eight- and 16-session options.
Ensworth Swim School
615-906-7479
Offers Parent & Me Class (ages 6 – 35 months), Terrific Twos Class (2.5-year-olds) and group classes.
Gordon Jewish Community Center
801 Percy Warner Blvd., Nashville
615-354-1678
Utilizing the swim-float-swim method, several group lessons are available for kids: Water Babies (ages 6 – 18 months), Water Tots (ages 19 – 36 months), Super Sharks (ages 4 – 5), Junior Sharks (ages 6+), Tiger Shark University Level 1 (ages 5+) and Tiger Shark University Level 2 (ages 6+).
ISR Clarksville Swim Co.
Multiple Locations
931-221-9859
ISR’s unique results are achieved through fully customized, safe and effective, one-on-one lessons with only your child and the Instructor in the water. What your child will learn depends on his or her age and developmental readiness, but in all cases, at minimum, your child will learn to roll onto his or her back to float, rest, and breathe, and to maintain this position until help arrives. Lessons available for 6 – 12 mos., as well as 1 – 6 yrs old.
Sealove Swim Lessons
11 Vaughns Gap Rd, Nashville
615-412-5181
One on one swim instruction focused on water safety and proper swim technique. Sea Love Swim recognizes that every student approaches the water in their own unique way so lessons implement intuitive instruction designed to meet the needs of our students as individuals. Parent/Child lessons are $25 per 30 min; Private lessons are $45.
Vanderbilt Recreation and Wellness Center
2700 Children’s Way Nashville
615-343-6627
Group lessons for children include Parent/Child (ages 6 months – 3 years), Preschool (ages 3 – 5), Level 1 (Ages 4+) and Level 2 (ages 6+).
Worden Aquatics
Boost FitClub
11 Vaughns Gap Road, Nashville
Offers private lessons at several locations in Middle Tennessee as well as non-competitive swim teams. Lessons include sessions for kids, toddlers and even Mommy & Me.
YMCA of Middle Tennessee
Bellevue • 615-646-9622
Donelson • 615-889-2632
Downtown • 615-254-0631
Green Hills • 615-297-6529
Margaret Maddox • 615-228-5525
Northwest • 615-242-6559
The parent/child swim program introduces ages 6 – 36 months to the joys of swimming. The youth program for ages 3 – 12 teaches kids to become skilled swimmers.
RUTHERFORD
Beyond Aquatics
236 Robert Rose Drive, Murfreesboro
615-962-9500
The learn-to-swim program provides one-on-one instruction for ages 6 months and older. They also offer mommy and me swim classes.
Excel Aquatics Classes
Julie Williams
borolessons@excelaquatics.org
Excel Aquatics offers swim group and private lessons at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.).
MTSU Rec Center
1848 Blue Raider Drive, Murfreesboro
615-898-2104
Private and group swim classes are available for ages 6 months and older. The parent/child aquatics (parents must be in the water with children) is for ages 6 months – 3 years, three levels of preschool aquatics for ages 4 – 5 and six levels of the Learn-to-Swim classes for ages 6 and older.
Ms. Sue’s Swimming
7857 S. Lamar Road, Smyrna
615-459-5124
Day and evening classes that are approximately 60 minutes long, take place Monday – Friday available from June – August in a heated, salt water pool. They offer a Parent and Child Aquatic Program (PAC) for ages 6 months – 3 years as well as six levels for older kids.
Sweetman Swim School
461 Meadowlark Lane, La Vergne
615-223-6144
Beginner Level Classes, Beginner Stroke Classes and Advanced Stroke Classes are available for all ages. Lessons run mid-May through July. Private lessons are only held in Aug.
YMCA of Middle Tennessee
2001 Motlow College Blvd., Smyrna
615-220-9622
The parent/child swim program introduces ages 6 months – 3 years to the joys of swimming for the first time under the care and love of their parents. The preschool swim lessons teaches ages 3 – 12 the fundamentals of swimming.
SUMNER
Gallatin Civic Center
210 Albert Gallatin Ave., Gallatin
Swim lessons for ages 3+ available in three different packages in 30-, 45- and 60-minute sessions. Also available is the Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) program for ages 6 months – 6 years old.
Pleasant Green Park
360 Pleasant Green Drive, Goodlettsville
615-851-2231
Group swim lessons available in several sessions throughout the season for ages 4 – 12. Instructors are either Ellis or American Red Cross certified. Cost is $75 per session.
Sea Star Swim School
127 Sanders Ferry Road, Hendersonville
615-822-8800
Sea Star offers parent/child, beginner swim, lap swim, Little Flippers, Barracudas and more.
Sumner County Family YMCA
102 Bluegrass Commons, Hendersonville
615-826-9622
The parent/child swim program introduces ages 6 – 36 months to the joys of swimming. The preschool program teaches ages 3 – 5 the fundamentals of swimming. The youth program for ages 6 – 13 teaches kids to become skilled swimmers.
WILLIAMSON
British Swim School
at Southwind Apartment Homes Clubhouse
549 Southwinds Drive, Franklin
615-202-2010
Year-round, ongoing small group swim lessons are available beginning at 3 months old and are all-inclusive, too! The different programs include Tadpole (ages 3 – 36 months with parent in the water); Swimboree (ages 3 – 36 months with parent in the water); Seahorse (ages 18 – 36 months); Starfish, Minnow, Turtle 1, Turtle 2, Shark 1 and Shark 2 (ages 3 and older); Barracudas Swim Team and adult classes. Lessons are held indoors in a heated pool.
Excel Aquatics Classes
Excel Aquatics offers group and private lessons at the Williamson Brentwood Indoor Sports Complex and the Longview Rec Center in Fairview (wcparksandrec.com ). Classes include Swim U, Beginner 1 and 2, Advanced 1 and adult lessons. In addition, there are swim lessons for younger kids including the Parent/Tot class for ages 12 – 36 months and Survival Swim for ages 6 months – 3 years.
Goldfish Swim School
1113 Murfreesboro Road, Ste. 201, Franklin
615-265-6804
Goldfish Swim School pre-registration is open for ages 4 months – 12 years. Goldfish offers a confidence-building curriculum. It also has a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio for group lessons. Kids learn how to swim in a shiver-free, 90-degree pool. Class times are flexible. Other swim lessons available include: Parent/tot mini class (starts at 4 months); Advanced baby (ages 36 months and younger, where the parent does not get in the water); Casual swim lessons; Family swim sessions.
Swim with Ms. Nancy
615-351-0311
Private, semi-private and group swim lessons available for ages 18 months and older are held at two locations — Lynnwood Downs (2000 Lynnwood Drive, Franklin) and Fieldstone Farms (501 Black Horse Pkwy., Franklin). Lessons run May – August.
Worden Aquatics
McKay’s Mill
1215 Habersham Way, Franklin
Spring Hill
1130 Cynthia Lane, Spring Hill
Offers private swimming lessons at several locations in Middle Tennessee as well as non-competitive swim teams. Swim lessons include sessions for kids, toddlers and even Mommy & Me.
YMCA of Middle Tennessee
Brentwood • 615-373-9622
Franklin • 615-591-0322
Maryland Farms • 615-373-2900
The parent/child swim program introduces ages 6 months – 3 years to swimming for the first time under parental care. The preschool swim lessons teach ages 3 – 12 the fundamentals of swimming.
