Survival swimming teaches babies and toddlers critical life-saving skills, like rolling onto their backs to float and wait for help if they fall into water. Unlike regular swim lessons, which focus on learning strokes and water play, survival swimming prioritizes safety and self-rescue techniques. The goal is water safety, equipping littles to survive an accidental fall into water.

Babies can start survival swimming as early as six months old, as long as they are able to sit up independently. This ensures they have the core strength needed to apply to learn self rescue techniques.

Lessons are scheduled in 15 minute blocks and are focused on teaching specific survival skills, such as floating on the back and holding their breath. Each child’s progress is monitored closely, with lessons tailored to their pace to ensure they are developing the necessary skills safely. Ten minutes are spent on instruction, and five minutes are reserved to talk with parents after each lesson.

Here’s some more info (ADD LINK) about what to expect at your lessons!

Kiddos will learn critical skills like how to roll onto their backs to float, how to remain calm in the water, and how to breathe properly while floating.

It varies from child to child, but typically, kiddos start demonstrating some skills after just a few lessons. Mastery of self-rescue techniques is almost always achieved in a 6-week program block. At the end of the program, your child will be tested fully dressed, both in summer and winter clothing.

Yes, survival swimming is safe when taught by a trained and certified instructor. The skills are taught gradually in a controlled, supervised environment. We always prioritize your child’s comfort and safety, and all lessons are conducted in warm water to ensure a positive experience.

When taught by a certified instructor, the risks are minimal. However, as with any activity, there is always some risk. That’s why we ensure each child progresses at their own pace, and we closely monitor their emotional and physical responses during lessons.

We take safety very seriously and would never put your child in harm’s way! We’ll let the experts explain this one. Here’s an article from Dr. Michael Daignault.

Studies show that children with survival swimming skills have a higher chance of surviving a drowning accident. While active supervision is the best way to prevent drowning, these techniques teach babies to self-rescue, providing an added layer of protection and giving parents peace of mind.

While your kiddo will have essential survival skills, it’s still crucial to always supervise them around water. Water safety should be a part of your everyday routine, and you should always follow the “touch supervision” rule: stay within arm’s reach of your child at all times. And be sure to enroll in Maintenance/Progression lessons, so your child doesn’t lose the important skills they’ve learned!

A four-year study by Australia’s Griffith University for Educational Research found that young children who participate in early-years swimming achieve a wide range of skills earlier than the normal population. Studies also show that children with survival swimming skills have a higher chance of surviving a drowning accident.

Swimming isn’t a “one and done” skill—regular practice is key to keeping water skills strong! After completing a New Student program, we highly recommend enrolling in our weekly Maintenance/Progression program. This helps reinforce essential survival skills, build confidence, and continue your child’s swimming development in a fun and supportive environment.