First day of swimming for Devin



getting ready to do his swim tests



Devin started swimming lessons today. I am taking him to the same place that I took Riley for the Mommy and Me class. Devin is only 3.5 so he hypothetically should be in the preschool class which is for kids ages 3-5. Once kids turn 5, they go to levels 1,2 and 3. I had them bypass the age requirement for him in the computer system and Devin was grouped with the level 1 swimmers today after some testing. He is one of 8 kids with two instructors for his class. Four to one ration is pretty great, especially for the rate we are paying.

They stay in the shallow end of the pool where the water is only three and a half feet deep and then the instructors sink this platform thing so the kids can stand on it and can touch. There is a ballet type bar on the one side as well so they can hold on and kick while blowing bubbles etc. He LOVED class. He would turn around and smile and wave at me sitting on the bleachers in between activities. After the preliminary testing they did floating on their backs, swimming with a kick board extended in front (not under them), blowing bubbles while kicking and retrieving rings on the bottom stair to make them go under. I was not sure how Devin would do with this since it requires him to put his whole head in and I am a bad mommy and forgot to buy him goggles. He tried to do it sideways while reaching with one arm, but the instructor corrected him and he went face down for the last two rings. We had a pep talk on the way in and I told him he needs to listen to what the instructors say and do anything they ask him to do. He promised me he would be a good listener. I think it definitely helped that he was surrounded by older kids who he of course wants to be like.

Riley was trying her hardest to get into the pool. She wanted to get undressed in the locker room, then wanted to get out of her stroller on the pool deck and finally gave up after 30 minutes. I brought coloring activities for her but they of course were sub par to swimming. The mommy and me class was a total waste of money and I am not sure she would be OK in the preschool class since I would not be in the pool with her. She does look up to Devin and mimic him, so maybe she would be OK? I have no idea and I think we can wait another month or two.