ABC Swim - Class Structure

You are in the water with your baby the whole time learning together. If you are not a swimmer or are a weak swimmer don’t be put off as the water is always shallow enough for you to stand up in and the teacher is always on hand to offer advice or support.

Lessons are planned to gently introduce your baby to the water and gradually increase confidence, experience and understanding. We plan our lessons to suit the class needs and provide structured and stimulating activities for your baby and you. The use of word association, repetition, games and songs is common to nearly all the lessons as we encourage the development of your baby's natural swimming skills in a fun and safe environment.

With our youngest babies the focus is on encouraging relaxation of baby and parent together in the water and to become comfortable with each other and build that mutual bond and respect and being able to relax whilst floating together and the skin to skin contact is another excellent way of strengthening the bond between you and baby.

As your baby grows we continue to encourage them to hold onto you rather than you holding them, so you are supporting them rather than holding them. We show them how to hold onto different surfaces such as the poolside or floats. We encourage fun and game playing and exploration.

Throughout your courses we teach you how to swim with your baby and aid their swimming by learning through you and with you. We always take our cues from baby and are led by them. We want their swimming experience to be a positive one and so we always let them know what we are doing and ask permission so they feel respected and learn that they have a choice.

Swimming from birth, without the use of floats will give your child both confidence in and respect for the water and give them a life long love of it too which is our long term aim.

Starfish Awards
Active Baby Company is an accredited Starfish swim school.

STARFISH is the official water safety and swimming programme for babies and toddlers. It is an exciting and progressive series of awards designed to introduce babies from 6 months old to the aquatic environment. The STARFISH series focuses on creating fun, positive experiences that will not only help your baby to develop physically but also emotionally, intellectually and socially too, while equipping them with key water safety skills.

We take swimming badges and certificates during the year within the classes which are available to buy.