Repost: Finding swimming lessons for babies and toddlers

I've contributed to the Orlando Sentinel's Moms at Work blog since 2010. The blog is changing content management systems and my old posts will no longer be available to the public, so I'm reposting them here, in the order that they were originally posted.


April 6, 2011

In the past couple of weeks, a few opportunities have come up for my toddler daughter to spend time at pools or the beach.

I'm sure that as the weather gets and stays  hot(ter) this summer, more such opportunities will arise, which means...I really need to get hopping on getting her in swimming lessons.

Even though my husband and I know we'll always have to keep an eye on her when she's near any body of water larger than a drinking cup, we want her to know a few techniques for maneuvering in the water on her own. Although I'm just worried about safety, I think my husband wants Olympics tickets and secretly harbors the hope that we have the next Cullen Jones or Dara Torres on our hands.

To that end, I've found a few places in Orlando that offer swim lessons for kids:

• The City of Orlando has offered "Waterbabies" and "Learn to Swim" classes at area pools. Get more information by calling the city aquatics department at 407-246-4281.
• Safe Start USA offers classes at several YMCA locations throughout the region.
• A company called The Swim Squad offers locations in several Central Florida suburbs.
• The Lane 4 Swim School also offers group and individual lessons (with new classes starting soon!).

I'm sure there are others I've missed. If you know of any, please post them in the comments.