On a warm and sunny August day, you and your baby are relaxing in the garden, with a tiny paddling pool set up to keep you both nice and cool. And your little one just can’t get enough – splashing water all over the place and giggling from ear to ear!

On seeing how much they’re enjoying themselves, you wonder whether they might enjoy a few baby swimming lessons. And the more you think about it, the more you think it’s a pretty fantastic idea. Not only will they have fun, but by becoming better acquainted with water, they’ll also be safer around pools, lakes and even the sea. Won’t they?

For various reasons, the viewpoints on baby swimming lessons seem to vary amongst parents and experts; so let’s explore the benefits and potential risks and see if we can come to a happy conclusion that sees your baby enjoy water in the right way.

Let’s begin then with the benefits of swimming at a young age.

What are the benefits of swimming lessons for babies?

Studies show that babies who are exposed to water in a swimming context experience physical benefits later in life, including greater balance and coordination.

Teaching your baby to be in the water may lower the risks of drowning.

For babies under 1, water-play classes are a great deal of fun and help to get infants used to water at a young age.

You may be thinking, that all sounds rather positive, so why are some parents against swimming lessons for babies?

Why are some parents hesitant to introduce swimming lessons at this young age?

The fact is, children aren’t actually developmentally ready to begin swimming until they reach the age of 4, and even if a baby demonstrates the right movements once in a pool, they won’t be able to hold their head above water well enough to breathe.

There are also other potential concerns that come with swimming besides drowning. For example, swimming can cause ear infections, water intoxication (swallowing too much water) and various infectious diseases to which infants are especially at risk.

Due to their delicate immune systems, a lot of doctors don’t recommend introducing babies to lakes or chlorinated pools until they’ve reached 6 months old.

So there are definitely some things you need to bear in mind should you choose to introduce your baby to water-play classes or if you take them into the pool with you.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether or not to introduce your little one to swimming (or water-play, given that they’re really too young to swim yet). It could be a lot of fun but it’s by no means necessary. However, if you think it sounds like something you’d both enjoy, there are a few points we’d like you to bear in mind to make sure your child is safe in water.

How can I safely attend water-play lessons with my baby?

It’s best and safest not to rely on a company’s claims that they can teach your baby to swim or be pool-safe. Attend classes that are designed to introduce your baby to water through play because babies are too young to learn to swim or even be safe around water, and any company that claims to achieve this might not have your child’s best interests at heart.

You can absolutely introduce your child to aquatic leisure and instruction, but you must be very careful at all times. You must be there, preferably in the pool with them, keeping a close eye out at all times. Even if your baby is near a body of water, including fountains, baths, sinks and buckets, you need to be there beside them and on high alert.

Avoid becoming overconfident. Even when your child gets older and shows competency around water, don’t underestimate the dangers that water can present. But that’s not to say that if you are vigilant and take certain precautions, you can’t enjoy swimming and playing in water together.

If you attend a few classes, only to find your baby can’t stand the water, there’s nothing wrong with stopping for now. In fact, if they really hate it, it’s probably best to stop so they don’t come to have negative associations with water.

Once they’ve reached the age of 4 or 5, you should think about signing your child up for swimming lessons. It’s really important that your child learns how to swim and be safe around water as this massively reduces the risk of any water-related accidents.

What can I do with my baby outside?

Does baby need swimming lessons? Unii’s Baby Development Journey has the answer.