ORIENTATION INFORMATION

Our BabyACHEIVERS program commences from the age of 3 months. The goal within this program is to work in conjunction with the parent to ensure that your child develops water awareness and water confidence, and enjoys their class time in the water each week. Our program also incorporates many songs and actions to help with developing co-ordination and neural mapping through performing these skills on a weekly basis.

Why Should I Teach My Baby To Swim?

• Babies less than one year accept the water more readily than older children
• Fear of the water may be acquired as children grow older and the longer a child is kept away from water the more likely the child will develop a fear of the water
• Babies can exercise more muscles in the water, they are less restricted by gravity and their ability to sit or stand. This increased strength often manifests itself in early acquisition of physical skills like walking
• Swimming improves babies cardiovascular fitness. Although babies are limited in how much they can improve their endurance, swimming does have a beneficial effect.
• Early mastery of water movements gives children a head start in learning basic swimming skills
• Water helps improve co-ordination and balance by forcing babies to move bilaterally to maintain equilibrium
• Warm water combined with gently exercise relaxes and stimulates babies appetites. They usually eat and sleep better on swimming days.
• Babies flourish in the focused attention their parents lavish on them during swimming
• As babies learn how to manoeuvre in the water on their own their independence and self-confidence blossom
• Swimming provides babies with lots of skin-to-skin contact with their parents that psychologists say may deepen the bond between parent and child
• Learning to swim is not only a fun, healthy activity, but a safety measure as well. Drowning is the major cause of accidental death in Australia for children under five years of age, many more are left with permanent brain damage.

Preparing your child to go under the water. Teaching your child to love and understand the water is a lifelong gift. Bath time is the perfect opportunity for parents to bond with their new born, and also provides the opportunity for you to help your baby develop an affinity with the water, and give them the life long skills that may one day save their lives.

Bath time Preparation

Preparing for face in swimming is one of the most important steps that parents can take in our BabyACHIEVERS program. When carrying out any preparation exercises, your baby should always be comfortable and happy. Before starting it is a good idea to ensure the following:

• Take the phone off the hook and do not answer the doorbell
• Keep the water warm
• Keep bath time fun and stimulating, use colourful and squeaky toys
• Stop if baby cries, this is their way of communicating that they are not happy
• Never leave baby unsupervised in the bath NO MATTER WHAT

1. Make sure you have babies attention ñ eye to eye contact is very important. The greatest tool you as a parent have is YOUR SMILE. Ensure you are calm, patient and relaxed ñ as any tenseness from you will be transferred to them through your touch
2. When baby is totally relaxed, sit them upright and maintain their attention
3. Use cue words Child's name, ready, go every time and keep the words rhythmical and constant. Pause after each word and wait 1 second before pouring the water over their forehead
4. Pour a small plastic cup of water onto the baby's forehead, allowing it to run smoothly and evenly over the child's face for 1 -2 seconds only
5. Always praise your baby after each repetition. Baby's will naturally release endorphins every time they get a BIG smile
6. Gauge your baby's reaction and repeat if they are comfortable. If baby shows any signs of distress by crying, stop immediately and comfort them
7. Repeat a few times each bath time. Start with only one or two turns the first time and slowly extend the frequency over a number of weeks


Following these easy steps will help you and your baby prepare for when they commence face in swimming during class. When you are confident that your baby is happy with water being poured over their face, and they show no discomfort or alarm, they may be ready to move onto short face in swims during their swimming lesson.

Continuity of classes

Continuity of year round lessons plays a vital role in the process of layering water safety skills for young children. New skills need to be initially taught, and then reinforced on a weekly basis to ensure that they stay current. As older skills are reinforced or extended, new skills are being added to ensure that the child remains motivated and challenged. Children who swim year round have the greatest chance of reaching their full potential for their respective development level.


For the child to gain maximum benefit from the BabyACHIEVERS program all skills must be acquired to the point where the skills learnt become an automatic reaction (a habit). This will then give them the best possible chance of learning how to respond intuitively in an emergency situation.

Aquatic Achievers BabyACHIEVERS Program

Our BabyACHIEVERS program has identified three 'Developmental Stages' relevant to the infants social, intellectual, emotional and physical characteristics. These three levels are the building blocks to not only making your child safer in the water, but also introducing swimming specific skills that will aid them in learning to swim.

BabyACHIEVERS Developmental Stages are:

Squirts: Water Awareness

Aim: introduce parent & child to lesson format, including Introduce child to holding kick-board Back floating Safe underwater submersions Chairlift to side of pool and hold on to side Humpty Dumpty fall from side Kicking skills Holding side & monkey walking Mat walking Splashers: Water Confidence Aim: Develop water safety skills and unassisted swimming, by Kicking on kick-board Back floating Safe under water submersions unassisted Introduce paddling arms Introduce safety falls and turning around to wall assisted Holding side & monkey walking Propel themselves 1-2 metres unaided Mat walking Squids: Water Exploration. Aim: Unassisted swimming to 3 metres and safety fall Kick & paddle on pool noodles Back floating Safe under water swimming to 3 metres Reinforce paddling arms Unaided safety falls (sitting and standing) Monkey walking Dive for object from pool bottom.

What should I bring along to each lesson?

Parents swim wear and t-shirt. The key to teaching infants is to for them to become independent and self reliant. The wearing of a T-Shirt by the carer encourages the child to hold onto it themselves Infants swim wear, disposable swimmers nappy and nappy change needs Suitable warm clothes for yourself and your baby to put on after lesson Snack for after the lesson.

How can I prepare my child before arriving at swimming lessons?

Your child may not understand but your excitement and anticipation will be strongly felt by them. If you have the opportunity - expose your child to the Centre prior to their first lesson. Also try using the bathtub, shower or pool at home to introduce some of the anticipated activities you will experience. Do not submerse your child and cause stress in any way.

Can we eat before the lesson?

Try to avoid food or drink immediately before any aquatic activity as this may cause your child to get cramps and to feel sick. However, ensure that your child is not hungry when they have their lesson.

What if my child is tired?

If your child usually has nap at your scheduled lesson time, try to rearrange your schedule so that your child is not tired when you attend.

How will my child learn?

Games are the basic ingredient of any program, and their repetition helps skills to be learned. Self confidence will develop through practice, enjoyment, fun and positive rewards.

Schedule for a possible sleep after the lesson

Parents should be mindful that after thirty minutes of activity, the child will most likely sleep after their lesson. So be prepared and arrange for this to happen.