Unfortunately, babies cannot naturally swim. If this were the case, there wouldn’t be so many drownings
every year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Accident Prevention, drowning is the leading
cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 in the United States.
Will my child need additional lessons?
Based on our research, we know that refresher lessons are important because children change so much
both cognitively and physically during the first 0-5 years of life. It is important that their water survival
skills grow with their bodies. Frequency depends on the child's age, growth rate, skill level and
confidence level. The goal of refresher lessons is to help your child adjust his/her new body size and
weight to his/her existing skill level. Your instructor will work with your child to help fine-tune his or her
aquatic experience to assist with building efficiency, which will result in self-confidence. This is especially
important if your child has not been able to practice any appropriate aquatic skill between seasons.
What other benefits does the ISR lesson experience provide students?
Every child is unique. However, many parents report that once their young children have mastered
learning to swim, the resulting confidence in their abilities engenders a positive self-concept that is often
demonstrated in other aspects of their personalities. There are also obvious health and other
psychological gains.
How can you teach babies and young children to swim?
ISR instructors teach infants to swim by honoring each child's individual strengths and experiences. They
understand the fundamentals of the behavioral sciences, child development and of sensori-motor
learning as it relates to the acquisition of aquatic survival skills; they use this education to guide each
child through the sequence of learning to swim and float.