Otter Pups - Parent and Baby
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Our OTTER PUPS classes are specially aimed at children aged from 10 months to 3 years of age, accompanied in the water by a parent or carer.
Babies are introduced to the water in a safe, calm environment to help them build confidence while having fun. Once they reach the age of three they can move on to our 'Otters' lessons for pre-school children.
Session Times
Tuesday
10.30am Sharley Park Leisure Centre
12.30pm Dronfield Sports Centre
Wednesday
10.00am Eckington Swimming Pool
10.30am Eckington Swimming Pool
11.00am Eckington Swimming Pool
11.30am Eckington Swimming Pool
Thursday
9.30am Dronfield Sports Centre
10.30am Dronfield Sports Centre
1.15pm Sharley Park Leisure Centre
Contact your local centre for more information, details are at the bottom of the page.
Why teach your baby to swim at such an early age?
Babies have a natural affinity with the water. They become totally liberated as water is a free environment for them.
We all have an inborn “gag reflex” but it is generally strongest in babies up to 6 months old, this enables them to hold their breath underwater naturally and provides a gentle introduction to submersion. They also have primitive swimming stroke actions up to 6 months of age and can propel themselves through the water. OTTER PUPS builds upon babies natural reflexes to enable your baby to be completely happy moving in and through the water.
Introducing babies to swimming aids and improves babies and children’s development: physical, intelligence, language, emotional and social.
Physical
- Strength is built through muscle development from an active lifestyle swimming which can aid early walking
- Co-ordination and associated motor skills are also improved through regular exercise
- A weekly swim provides a good workout and improves the cardio-vascular system, the heart and lungs
Intelligence
- Weekly classes maintain development, using building blocks of development and progressive practices.
- Classes are structured to ensure babies are constantly and continuously stimulated
Language
- Language development can be also be improved via swimming; babies are constantly interacting with their carer / parent throughout the sessions
- The teacher also provides a verbal stimulus through teaching
- Babies naturally copy others actions
Emotional
- Water is a natural environment for a baby; babies feel safe and secure within this environment
- Many parents state that that their baby's sleeping & feeding can improve
- Starting to swim early can avoid traumatic experiences that some children go through when learning to swim; it familiarises children with deep water and gives them the confidence to swim below the water level
Social
- During our lessons babies interact with adults and other babies and children
- Parents and carers also interact and socialise
- These unique swimming sessions can develop a special relationship, which are looked forward to each week
- OTTER PUPS lessons are FUN. Classes use lots of games and nursery rhymes; they perform an integral part of all the lessons and all of our lessons actively encourage learning through play.
Useful Links
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