So, I've got 2 kids, aged 10 and 3.5. Here's the saga.
We live on the coast, so started swim lessons at around 3 or 4 for older son. Some friends started kids in lessons at 6 weeks, and they were crazy expensive, like $200 for 9 weeks, what?? I thought that was crazy.
- Woman down the street with a pool. $56 for 20 minutes, but I split it with a neighbor. Um...he got more comfortable in the water?
- YMCA when he was four. Only $55 for about 6 weeks, 30 min classes. 5 kids, one teacher. He wasn't into it.
- Local dive center, slightly larger class. She was pushing him to do better, and said "I promise I won't let go of you", and she did. Thanks a lot lady. He was five. We went to Hawaii and he refused to go into the pool unless we bought him a floatie.
- When he was 5, we joined the Y. We started going WITH him 2x a week just to play. It finally clicked. We signed him back up for regular swim lessons at the Y. He got better. Slowly.
- When he was 6 and 7, his summer camps and programs came with a week of swim lessons with the city. 30 min-1 hour a day for a week or two. The combination of more access, doing it every day, and peer pressure = HUGE difference.
- By the time he was 7 or 8, he could swim 25 yards. When he was 8, he came home from summer camp with a band on his wrist, signifying that he passed the uni swim test AND jumped from the high dive. What??
Kid #2: I want him to be able to swim sooner than aged 8.
- At 18 months, tried Mommy and Me swim lessons. Pool too cold, he's not into it. After 2 sessions, ditched it.
- at 3, I had the opportunity to help a friend with her 2 yo twins at her private swim lessons. (You know those crazy people who put their kids in lessons as 6 week old babies and pay $200??) I couldn't believe the level of swimming they were doing!
- so I signed him up age 3, and we are on our third session. He's making MANY more strides than he was just going to the pool with us occasionally. While he's certainly not swimming independently (my friend's twins can do a little bit), he's coming along.
So. My own personal experience is that lessons are worth it and GOOD lessons are REALLY worth it. I'd ask around. The private lessons we are taking are amazing. A few other places are amazing. The city lessons, which are CHEAP are amazing, according to my neighbor. (And if they are anything like the summer camp ones, then yes.)
Edited to add: we are paying $200 for nine 30-minute lessons