Swimming Pathway

Why swim with us?

Whether you are looking for a one-off term of bonding or fun, or want to lay a solid learn-to-swim foundation, you are in the right place!

Classes run term time only, with some specials throughout the holidays.

There are so many reasons to choose us for your swimming, but the most important one is that we put your little one first. Everything is planned with their development and enjoyment in mind, and we absolutely do not force any activity. We believe a love of the water is born from freedom to play and explore and feeling safe and secure with their caregiver and teacher.

We should also mention that our small group of teachers are all highly trained baby and pre-school specialist teachers, with a range of other child-centred qualifications between them so are super qualified to work with babies and pre-schoolers.

We split the classes by age as children will learn swimming skills usually to coincide with certain stages of development linked to age. Simply select an age group to suit at the time of booking and then every time you re-enrol, we will ensure your child is in a group with others the closest age.

Our classes are booked termly (a term is usually between 5-8 weeks in line with school terms). There may sometimes be options to come to a one-off class if there is space available once term has started,

Pool Introduction Classes (30mins) £13.50 per class

Min 2 months, Max 8 months

This is your first port of call for baby and parent to explore the pool together! We use 'Waters Touch,' which is a specially adapted programme of nurturing touch which is built upon the principles of baby massage. There is lots of gentle touch and soft hands with some slow songs and activities which support tummy time, building core strength and water confidence. This is a lovely slow introduction to the pool for young babies and their grown ups. We recommend this for babies who are new to the pool. Once they are older or already familiar with the water they are usually ready for the next stage (Sensory Splashtime)

Sensory Splashtime Classes (30mins) £13.50 per class

Min 5 months, Max 2.5 years

In the next stage we start working on your little ones swimming skills combined with all the fun of Sensory classes. We use music, singing, activities and play which support their swim journey; Whether you are looking for a fun introduction to the pool, getting a little water confidence before a holiday, a fun activity for maternity/paternity leave, or a firm foundation for learning to swim, this ticks all the boxes.

The recommended minimum age for this is 5 months, and the maximum age is 2.5 years, however classes are still grouped so that the babies closest in age are together, so when booking this, look for the age which suits your baby best.

Sensory Swimtime Classes (40mins) £17.00 per class

Min 18 months, Max 5 years

Once your little one is a little older and more confident we would look to move them to longer classes which gives us more time to work on individual skills to help get them moving in the water. Still using all the fun of music and themed play to help them continue to develop their foundation swimming skills ready for independent classes.

The recommended minimum age for this is 18 months, and the maximum age is 5 years, however classes are still grouped so that the children closest in age are together, so when booking this, look for the age which suits your child best.

More than just a swimming lesson....

Throughout all our classes we have a range of activities and age appropriate toys and equipment which support building core strength, water confidence, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills, and speech and language development. But as fun as it is, we are still learning to swim and developing our foundation swimming skills throughout:

Safety skills such as holding on, floating, climbing out, rotating
Jumping in/ returning to the side
Pushing off from the wall
Using arms and legs to kick, paddle, move forwards/ backwards
Being comfortable dipping in own face/ going under the water (all child led and dependent upon their own preferences)
Progressing to swimming by themselves without adult assistance (when they are ready)

We use a variety of floats and aids for swimming but don't want children to become reliant on armbands; we want them to be able to understand their own buoyancy so include lots of activity without.

Although skill repetition is essential for learning, each term is different and has lots of themed play so your little one (and you) won't get bored! There is lots of child led water play in these sessions as well as lots of gentle encouragement to explore and enjoy the water and every activity is mindful of the childs preference and likes, with no forced activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are in a class?

Up to 6 Adult & Child Pairs. We keep our classes super small so we can personally get to know you both and so that the environment is not too loud and overwhelming and is conducive to learning.

Do I need to bring armbands?

No, primarily children are held in the water and we have equipment we can use as needed, however if you have an older child who enjoys a bit more freedom and is used to wearing something in particular, you are welcome to bring them along along but please keep them at the side of the pool until we're ready for them so the child doesn't become over reliant on them. (same with goggles).

I want to come with my friend but our babies are different ages. Can we come together?

Depending on the gap, we can usually work something out. Please send a message to info@bubblesandbabbles.co.uk page with the details.

The underlying purpose is a swimming lesson, however the style is based on very similar foundations as baby sensory but there will likely be less objects/ props as we use the water as the main natural stimulator of senses and allow lots of exploration. Also, obviously nothing plugged in!!