Can learning to swim save my child's life?


​There are many cases where very young children have fallen into pools and swum back to safety. In fact, Hills Swimming babies (as young as 21 months) have been featured in newspapers and on national television after saving themselves. However, children are unpredictable and there is no guarantee they will remember-supervision is essential.

Babies who have been in lessons with their parent and without the use of floatation aids are less likely to enter a pool without an adult. They will have a more realistic awareness of their own swimming ability and will have practiced a variety of skills to get back to safety if they fall in.

Teachers and parents work closely together to teach skills in a happy and playful atmosphere so that if your child finds himself accidentally submerged he will be relaxed and buoyant. He will then have a better chance of remembering and using the skills he has practiced during lessons. Turning back to the wall and swimming to safety is an achievable survival skill which requires calm clear thinking.

How these recovery skills are taught is very important. Teach your child appropriate recovery (survival) skills, and then do everything in your power to ensure they don't need to use them. Watch them-always!