Our Classes
Classes are approximately 30 minutes and are very structured with 8 babies per class. Terms vary at each location and classes are paid for termly in advance. Booking is essential, even if your baby is still a bump put them on the waiting list as classes are very popular.
babysplashers focus on the importance of water safety. Your baby will learn to fall in from the side, instinctively turn, kick back to the poolside and hold on. A skill that may one day save their life! All skills are taught relying on natural reflexes that your baby is born with. Firstly we use the amphibian reflex - this enables your baby to move their legs and arms in swimming type motions. With lots of fun exercises this reflex soon becomes a voluntary response to Mummy, Daddy or Louise asking them to reach and pull or kick, kick, kick!
Another reflex relied upon in our baby swim programme is the gag reflex. When your baby's face is submerged in water an involuntary spasm causes the epiglottis to close over the larynx, creating a water tight seal and preventing water inhalation to the lungs via the trachea. With our teaching methods we slowly teach your baby to voluntarily hold their breath before they put their face in the water. Your aim as a parent is to reassure your baby/child so lots of praise and claps are required after their first underwater swims!!
The swimming underwater is a small part of the programme but it does enable your baby to be eligible for our unique underwater photo sessions. Martin Edge is a well respected underwater photographer and he works exclusively for babysplashers. Information on Martin can be found at Martin Edge Underwater Photography.
Once your baby is confident we start to teach them to be independent. Lots of swimming schools and leisure centres teach with floatation aids such as arm bands, rubber rings, back packs. As we focus so much on water safety at babysplashers we only teach with woggles (long foam flotation tubes). This means your baby can move around the pool unaided with the realisation that should they choose to let go of the woggle, the consequence is going under the water. Something all the other aids that fasten do not offer, which can then lead to a false sense of security. This holding on skill is also used to hold onto Mummy or Daddy for our front and back rides. It's great for your baby to see you swimming instead of walking.
There's so much more we do at babysplashers so get yourself and your baby booked onto a class as soon as you can.
Once you have secured your space at babysplashers we recommend you purchase a 'Happy Nappy' from Splash About. These are great at keeping any accidents in and preventing us from having to close the pool. You can also purchase baby wetsuits but with most of our pools being 31/32 degrees you shouldn't need one unless your baby is prone to getting cold. babysplashers always has some to borrow though should your baby show any signs of being cold.
