Swim Lessons

The kids just finished their summer swim lessons last week. They did so well! We were lucky enough to have a friend teaching swim lessons from her home, and the kids loved Allie. The first day they didn't want to leave. The class size was perfect to give them the personal attention they needed. They have all improved leaps and bounds from last year, and have gained so much confidence in the water. We are lucky to have access to a pool here at our condo complex so they can practice their new skills.

Carly has a beautiful free style stroke. I wish I had a better video to capture it. In her class, they practiced the free style, learned the back stroke, treading water, and diving in from the side of the pool. Carly is a natural swimmer. It is such a treat to watch her progress.

Here she is doing the back stroke.

Josh was the oldest in the class, and so naturally was a little more advanced than Jack and Paige. He was able to practice his free style, and get started on his back stroke. They also practiced jumping in from the side of the pool, touching the bottom, and grabbing onto the wall. He's such a little fish. Josh is practicing diving from the side of the pool.

(Please ignore Jack. He doesn't actually hate swimming. I think he just got a kick out of being on video.)

Jackie did really well, also. I was just happy to see him putting his face in the water at first. That's something he wouldn't do last year. Granted, he did have a scare last summer...poor traumatized kid. I loved how Allie called their arms diggers, and their legs kickers, so they could really get an idea for what they should be doing. Jack was so proud of himself. He still tells me that he was swimming by himself, and Allie didn't even have to help!!

I think his favorite part of the lesson was at the end when they got to 'dive' for toys...there were sharks!!