Welcome to Aquatots Level 1 swimming course!

My name is Dillon Duckling and I am here to help. You and your baby are just about to embark on a wonderful swimming journey together and it is our job to make that journey as educational and as much fun as possible for both of you. Here is a little taste of what is in store.

Level One Ducklings Overview

Dillon Duckling is very excited about meeting you both and introducing you to the wonderful world of swimming, and underwater swimming too! Just as he is taking his first forays into the water with his Mummy, so will your baby with you right from day 1.

We will begin by showing you how to enter and exit the pool safely and then introduce your baby to some simple lifesaving concepts like holding on to the side of the pool with our skill "Swim and hold on" and floating in the pool with the skill "Backfloat". We will also show you how to prepare your baby for their first submersion by using our "Aquatub" and your teacher may even give you some homework to do. Finally, your class will finish with the singing of songs during "Playtime".

Key words and repetition are constantly used throughout to help your baby understand what we want them to do and all of this happens on day 1.

As we progress through the term we will practice all of the skills previously taught and we will introduce at least one new skill every week to keep the babies stimulated and the parents engaged. This approach allows the babies to gradually learn new skills and progress quite quickly to more advanced skills.

On day 2 we test your baby's "Diving reflex" and also show you how to do a fun and safe entry from the side of the pool, incorporating the lifesaving skill of holding on to poolside. On day 3 or 4, if your baby is ready, your teacher will perform your baby's first submersion for you while you watch with pride. This is a very exciting day for you and your baby, and possibly your teacher's favourite day too. The following week, you will be invited to swim your baby yourself, with your teacher right beside you to guide and assist you through the process of course.

There is so much more to look forward to in level 1 including lifesaving skills like "Piggybacks", social resting exercises like "Big circle, little circle" and family swims like "Single handed swim". We will also offer you underwater photos in this level and there is more information about those below. Finally we have a special surprise for the parents on the last day of term, involving the use of goggles, but we are keeping that one to ourselves for the moment...Each term, we provide you with an informative and education story about your Aquatots Animal for your swim level. And, look out for the fun videos too, showing your little swimmer their animal character in action.

Level 1 skills

Here are some of Dillon's favourite skills introduced in level 1. We have onlylisted 5 because there are so many to choose from and Dillon thinks these are the most exciting ones:

• Baby's first swim This will be the first time your baby goes underwater for a short and gentle submersion. Your teacher will do this for you but you play a very important role in it. When it is your turn to try, your teacher will instruct you on the techniques and key words used and will guide and assist you individually.
• Swish swish This is a lovely resting skill which is lots of boisterous fun for your baby and might even help to tone up those upper body muscles of yours (depending on the size of your baby of course!).
• Big circle, little circle Stage 1 This is another fun resting exercise for your baby and is great for socialising the little ones. We start in a big circle and kick towards the centre of the pool where there will be toys waiting. We follow this with a backfloat out towards the circles edge, combining a couple of skills already taught.
• Noisy bubbles This is a technique that we will teach you to use in order to get your baby's eye contact and attention in the water before any submersion, ensuring that your little one is listening to the key words you will say.
• Single handed swim Stage 1 This swim is done later in the term and involves your baby swimming from the teacher to you. Once mastered, this will become the swim you do with another family member and your baby on holidays to impress all of the onlookers who will gasp in amazement at your baby's swimming ability.

These skills are just some of the ways that the Aquatots Programme supports the Early Years Foundation Stage. As you can see from some of the skills above, this will be your child's first journey acquiring skills that will prepare your little one for being a super learner as well swimmer. By providing a suportive, positive and well balanced social environment, your child will be introducted to all elements of the EYFS. This includes:

• gaining a grasp for language and understanding cues and instructions,
• basic counting,
• moving through space with the feel and support of water to build physical skills,
• self- awareness,
• building self esteem and becoming a social being.

So, with your first class just around the corner, Dillon has put together some good advice for you with his top tips as well as a checklist to make sure you have evertyhing you need to make your first swimming sessions a relaxing and enjoyable experience for you both.

Dillon says "succesful swimming starts with proper preperation" so please click the following link to ensure you have all the information you need to make day 1 a great success : Dillon's Top Tip's & Swim Checklist

Unique to Aquatots are our underwater photos. Many other swimming companies will hire in an outside photographer which can unsettle the babies, and will charge a large sitting fee as well as an additional charge for individual photos. We prefer to offer underwater photos taken during your class, by your teacher at a very reasonable all-in price. Please click on the following link for further information about Dillon's photo day!

Once you and your baby have digested the delights of Dillon Duckling's Level 1, we have Sidney Cygnet waiting for you both in Level 2 with lots of new skills to learn and some new stages of ones you will both know already!

In level 2 we will introduce your baby to the lifesaving idea of turning underwater and holding on to a point of safety. Can my baby do that? Well the answer is yes, but with some help from you of course. We practice "Ready turn" during the warm up section of your class and you will be amazed at just how much your baby will be able to do.

Remember that "Single handed swim" that I was talking about earlier? Well next term your teacher will teach you how to do it yourself so that you can impress the onlookers on holiday and terrify the lifeguards.

Oh yes, then there's the big one, letting go of your baby underwater, just for ½ second to start with. Don't worry, it's easy, and your baby won't mind a bit. They will hardly notice, as this is done so softly and gently, and for such a short period of time. Once practiced, you can use this technique to get more photos of your baby underwater in Level 2, but this time with no hands! Now that would be one for the family album.

Sidney is really keen to meet you both and to show you just what a Cygnet can do so don't forget to re-book into Level 2.