It’s a question we are often asked here at The Swim Factory. Learning to swim is obviously an important life skill for your little one, especially in Australia (and Ipswich) given our warm climate and love of the water.

It’s also an excellent form of exercise, and an asset for life.

Starting as a baby won’t necessarily make your child a better swimmer in the long run, but provided the lessons are age appropriate, there are many benefits to be had with an early start.

Swimming lessons can help prevent water fears, provide additional movement opportunities, help develop social skills, help with bonding, and assist in the child’s overall development in a myriad of ways.

It’s important to remember that, before birth, your baby was immersed in a fluid environment inside the womb, so we’re not really talking about when to introduce them to water, but rather, when to reintroduce them to an element they called home for close to nine months.

While professional swimming lessons are essential to ensure their ongoing safety in and around the water, as well as cognitive development, you can start pre-conditioning your baby for the pool by gently pouring water over their face at bath time (starting with a warm flannel and working up to a cup) and using verbal triggers.

This can help your little one to learn early breath control and prepare them for submersions in formal lessons.

These early bath-time experiences should be free from stress and are a lovely way to build rapport with the water and their parents. The bath should be a fun, familiar place for learning. 

Starting this process from just a few months of age lays a great foundation for joining a more formal learn to swim program later.

So, back to the question at hand. What is the best age to start formal swimming lessons?

We recommend parents wait until three months of age before they start lessons.

Why three months? This allows time for a medical history to develop, the infant’s immune system to strengthen, and bonding to occur with their primary care giver, which is essential to ensuring they feel safe and supported in the pool.

After three months, lessons in a gentle and developmentally appropriate program, like we offer at The Swim Factory Woodend and Springfield (Ipswich), can and should be started straight away.

Children who commence swimming at this age are rarely unhappy in the water and don’t often develop the fear or anxiety about swimming that some older children struggle with. That said, it’s never too late to start swimming lessons.

Learn to swim classes aren't only designed to teach children to become good swimmers, but also to enjoy and respect the water.

Starting early and continuing lessons long-term will help your child to feel confident in and enjoy the water for the rest of their lives. What an incredible gift to give your little one.

Regardless of these or other swimming skills a child may have, it’s important to remember that we can never take our eyes off our little ones in or around any body of water

Learn to swim with our dedicated and friendly instructors. The Swim Factory Australia has been trusted for over 30 years by countless families across Ipswich. We have a swim centre near you, easily accessible from most Ipswich suburbs including Ripley Valley, Yamanto, Brassall and Redbank Plains.